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One Million Climate Jobs A just transition to a low carbon economy to combat unemployment and climate change.

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Presentation on theme: "One Million Climate Jobs A just transition to a low carbon economy to combat unemployment and climate change."— Presentation transcript:

1 One Million Climate Jobs A just transition to a low carbon economy to combat unemployment and climate change

2 COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs 2 One Million Climate Jobs Campaign We face an economic and environmental crisis: we need solutions to both; Trade unions, social movements and environmental organisations have formed an alliance to campaign for the creation of one million climate jobs, now. Our initial research shows that more than three million new climate jobs can be created.

3 COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs 3 One Million Climate Jobs Campaign (Cont.) Our campaign has two starting points: First, we need work. South Africa has one of the highest levels of unemployment in the world; Our second starting point is that we have to slow down climate change, build our defences against its impacts, and prevent catastrophic climate change.

4 COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs 4 One Million Climate Jobs Campaign (Cont.) Our campaign has two starting points: First, we need work. South Africa has one of the highest levels of unemployment in the world; Our second starting point is that we have to slow down climate change, build our defences against its impacts, and prevent catastrophic climate change.

5 Unemployment SA has one of the highest rates of unemployment in the world; Official unemployment 25%, expanded definition 36%; 70% of the unemployed are youth and 60% are women; Unemployment represents a social disaster; COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs 5

6 COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs Unemployment rates by region, 2012 (%) Selected country unemployment rate (%) World 6.3 Eurozone 11.6 UK8.2 Hungary10.6 Russia5.2 Malaysia2.8 S Korea2.8 Brazil5.4 Egypt12.6 South Africa25.5 6

7 SA a big polluter SA has a relatively small economy yet is the 12 th biggest polluter of GHG. CO2 per capita hovered between 8 and 10 tons per capita, a figure twice as high as in China, 4-5 times higher than Brazil, Indonesia and India and similar to the UK and Germany (where major technological interventions are taking place to reduce this). COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs 7

8 COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs 8 The carbon intensity of the South African economy* *The International Energy Agency (CO2 EMISSIONS FROM FUEL COMBUSTION Highlights (2010 Edition)) arrives at slightly different numbers but the ranking order remains the same, with South Africa the highest emitter.

9 COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs 9 SA’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Diesell Coal mining Cement prod. Steel prod. Al, FeCr, FeMn, FeSi Petrol Sasol process Eskom coal Rest of sources

10 Subsidy level to high energy industries? reportedly 12-19c/kWh to large and energy intensive industries, below the production cost of 32.8c/kWh (Eskom figure for 2010-11), Eskom’s tariff to municipalities: 41.57c/kWh for 2010/11, increasing to 65.85c/kWh in the next two years. domestic consumers, including the poorest of the poor, pay the highest (block) tariffs COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs 10

11 What are climate jobs Climate jobs are jobs that: Reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses we emit, to make sure that we prevent catastrophic climate change; Build our capacity to adapt to the impacts of climate change (e.g. jobs that improve our food security); Provide and secure vital services, especially water, energy and sanitation (this includes reducing wasteful over-consumption). COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs 11

12 What are climate jobs Climate jobs are: Decent jobs: Decent jobs are jobs that are safe, provide healthy working conditions, and offer social protection, security and fair wages. People-driven jobs: Economic development must be driven primarily by people, not profits. COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs 12

13 What are climate jobs Publicly driven jobs: The state must be actively involved in creating jobs that address climate change, employing and training new climate workers, and retraining workers where necessary. Private Sector jobs: This emphasis on the state does not exclude the private sector altogether, but we cannot rely on business to take urgent action when their bottom line is profitability and accountability to shareholders. COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs 13

14 COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs 14 One Million Climate Jobs Campaign (Cont.) We can and must Produce our electricity from wind and sun. Use and expand public transport at the expense of cars and road freight. Convert our homes and public buildings to be energy and water efficient. Provide basic services such as water, electricity and sanitation.

15 One Million Climate Jobs Campaign (Cont.) Grow enough food for all people through agro-ecology labour intensive, low in carbon emissions, protects soil and water, and provides healthy food. Protect our natural resources, especially water, soil and biodiversity, to make sure that we can continue to meet the basic needs of all people. COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs 15

16 The jobs COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs 16

17 The jobs COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs 17

18 Where are the climate jobs? 50% of energy supplied by renewable energy within 10 years will reduce our emissions by 20%; A commitment to shift 10% of private car commuters to public transport would create about 70 000 jobs and reduce emissions by 24 Mt CO2-/year. COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs 18

19 Where are the climate jobs? If 200 000 more people caught taxis, there would be an additional 18 000 jobs If 500 000 more people rode buses to work and school, there would be an additional 3 500 buses and 42 000 more workers in bus operations, vehicle maintenance and part supply, as well as in bus building. If 800 000 more people used Metrorail trains, 113 train sets and about 10 000 new jobs. COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs 19

20 Cost of climate jobs Using minimum wage of R7,000 per month per worker (including indirect wage costs), a million climate jobs for one year = R84 bn; Non labour costs (financing, raw materials, etc. clculated at 40% Returns from taxation would reduce the costs to R92 bn per annum. COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs 20

21 Can we afford Climate Jobs? Tax on idle corporate bank deposits = R60 bn. Increase of 2% tax on high income earners = R20 bn. Surplus in UIF = R8 bn. Financial tranaction tax = R48 bn. Carbon tax = R82 bn. Halting capital flight = R100 bn. Redirecting pension funds through prescribed assets = R140 bn. COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs 21

22 Can we afford Not to? The costs of doing business as usual; Climate catastrophes and social catastrophes; The ticking time bomb? Join the Campaign for ONE MILLION CLIMATE JOBS! Its possible, necessary and urgent! COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs 22

23 Thank you COSATU / Sustain Labour November 2012 One Million Climate Jobs 23


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