Climate change is the biggest environmental crisis facing humanity, taking up the most space in newspapers and on television, along with numerous studies and initiatives. Climate change causes more and more extreme natural disasters: droughts, floods, aggravating desertification and the irreversible losses of biodiversity. And of course it will affect our lives: health, food and water supplies and jobs.

After years of misinformation, promoted mainly by the huge fossil fuel industries, the effects that human activities are having on the planet’s temperature and the serious consequences for our survival are now recognised.

The Intergovernmental Panel of scientists (IPCC), created 22 years ago, has presented robust scientific information on the causes of, impacts on and solutions to climate change. This information shows that if we do not act the global temperature could rise by 5 to 6 degrees – this would be simply devastating.

In Sustainlabour we consider it necessary:

• That urgent action is taken against climate change, in order to save humanity and our planet
• That in modifying productive processes to a low carbon economy, decent work and a more inclusive society be created
• That workers play an active part in this change and their participation at local, national and international levels is guaranteed
• That decisions taken on climate change are done within a democratic and just framework in terms of costs and benefits of the measures, both at national and international level

What is Sustainlabour doing?

• Support the participation of trade unions in the UN Convention on combating climate change, especially from developing countries and coordinated by the ITUC
• Carry out studies on the impacts of climate change on employment, social dialogue, the social dimension of climate change or the financing of climate change
• Contribute to the training of workers’ organisations on this issue. Since 2007 we have trained 873 trade unionists on climate change topics
• Raise aware of climate change amongst workers. More than 2,500 people receive our bulletin and we have more than 350,000 visits to our website
• Promote dialogue with the social partners (government and employers) and with the social movement in advancing towards a different model

• “Labour and the Environment”: joint programme with UNEP to strengthen trade union capacity in dealing with environmental issues, especially focused on developing countries. Since 2007 we have worked with more than 200 trade unions from 90 countries. The programme has the support of the Spanish Government.
• Specific training for the most vulnerable. Climate change for trade unionists in Nepal and Bangladesh. Programme carried out with the support of Lo Denmark.