Transcript

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

Green and Decent Work in South Africa

Ana Belén Sánchez20 November 2012

Johannesburg (South Africa)

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

• Objectives of the workshop:

- Learn about the concept of Green Jobs and how is related to the relation with the union movement.

- Learn what South Africa is doing in this field.

- Experiences of trade unions in other countries on this matter

- Learn from each other! Share your views with the others!

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

What are Green Jobs?

• Decent jobs that reduce the environmental impact of processes, sectors and companies.

• Manufacturers, installers and maintenance of solar water heaters, wind farms, PV solar panels.

• Waste management and recycling• Water supply, management and treatment• Public transport• Organic farmers and many others

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

Green and Decent Jobs

• The importance of green and decent jobs in setting the pathway towards sustainable development

• Triple benefit:

– Social – decent work, poverty eradication, social inclusion– Economic – viable enterprises and sectors– Environmental - climate change resilience, low-emission

development, stable natural environment and lasting biodiversity

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

What do we mean by reducing “environmental” impacts?

• Main environmental problems the world is facing (local and global effects):– Climate change– Natural resource depletion: water, fertile land– Pollution: air, water, land– Deforestation– Biodiversity loss– Erosion and desertification

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

With a direct impact on the world of work

• All jobs depend (directly or indirectly) of these resources: food and agriculture, forestry sector, construction, energy.

• Environmental problems create job losses, income reduction, increasing poverty and inequality.

• It costs public money! Soil degradation alone costs SA nearly R2bill annually in dam sedimentation and increased water treatment

• Adaptation to these problems is feasible only to certain level.

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

Environment & Social crisisInterlinked crisis

• Ecosystem degradation due to:– Unsustainable farming practices– Infrastructure development– Unsustainable exploitation of natural resources– Pollution and invasive species

• As a result:– Food insecurity– Rise in poverty– Impacts on human health and wellbeing– Collapse of economic activities and jobs losses

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

Sectors with highest potential to create green jobs

• Transportation: public transport, more efficient transport system

• Agriculture & Forestry: organic agriculture, sustainable forestry and fishery

• Energy: renewable energies, energy efficiency.• Construction: green buildings • Recycling

What do they have in common? More labour intensive than the sectors they are replacing

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

Some figures: jobs that depend on biodiversity and ecosystems

• Jobs directly related to biodiversity:– In the EU 14.6 million jobs, 7% of the labour market– In developing countries, 927 million, 35% of their

labour market• Jobs with a direct link with ecosystem services:

– 112 mill jobs in EU, 48% of LM– 1298 mill in developing countries, 49% of LM

• Jobs indirectly dependent on ecosystem services:– 104 mill jobs in the European Union, 45% LM– 413 mill jobs in developing countries,16% LM

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

Agriculture

– Unsustainable practices have resulted in low-quality and low-income jobs.

– The sector represent 70% of child labour– Workers have twice as likely to die at work as

those in other sectors– Death to exposure of dangerous chemical

products– Organic farming: creates a third more

employment than non-organic farming and reduce exposure to chemicals.

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

Forest

• Environmentally-friendly forest sector:– Additional jobs: up to 10 mill new jobs– Eradication of forced labour– Less fires

• Measures to be implemented– eradicating illegal logging– Providing training to workers on sustainable

management– Improving working conditions– Establishing protected forest areas– Reforestation with native species– Clean-up work in forest areas

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

Fishing

• Fishing essential to the survival and food security of 200 mill people

• Now: 30% global stocks are over-exploited. 88 % at the EU- 45% outside safe biological limits.

• Opportunities of sustainable fishing: – New jobs: 100,000 only in Europe (inc. 28%)– Transformation of the sectors: companies and

workers: need for a Just Transition framework

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

Tourism

• Represent 8% of global employment and is expected to grow

• Precarious working conditions: low salary, long hours, informal economy.

• A significant part of the sector is highly dependent of biodiversity and ecosystems

• Eco-tourism: – Major source of local employment– Impacts of tourism infrastructure and facilities would

not destruct natural habitats, create water pollution and waste would be managed…

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

Water resource management

• One of the sectors most dependant on ecosystems: high correlation between global areas with biodiversity under threat and areas with water security is at risk.

• Options:– Increase water use efficiency– Reduce pressure of underground sources– Reform water policies, promoting water saving– Reform water governance. Role of public sector

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

Biodiversity and poverty: GDP of the poor

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

Transitional issues to consider…

• Structural change of the economy • Possibility of job losses only identified in the transport

sector. More public transport, less need for vans and taxis. But still the is a net job creation balance.

• Low green industrial capacity in SA. Risk of job creation to benefit other countries.

• Half of GJ potential directly linked to natural resources! 1) No possibility of delocalizing 2) very linked to poverty and inequality reduction.

• High potential in organic agriculture (20,000 jobs)• Attention should be paid to employment condition in

green sectors. Not take it for granted.

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

Quality of green jobs

• Health, safety and training are frequent decent work deficiencies of green jobs sectors

• Construction: precarious, short-term, hig subcontracting and unhealthy conditions, low wages, low training

• Low level of unionization within renewable energy workers.

• Recycling might help to organize informal workers in this sector, lifted them out of poverty.

• Skills needs!

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

Thanks for your attention!

www.sustainlabour.org

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

South Africa’s environmental commitments

• Climate Change: peak, plateau, decline trajectory for GHG emissions. Pick reached around 2025. Reduce 34% lower than Business as usual scenario by 2020.

• Introducing by 2030 an economy-wide carbon price • Edification standard: new buildings should meet

minimum energy efficiency requirements and include renewable energies- 2011

• Renewable energy Feed-in Tariffs. 20,000 MW by 2030.

• Decommissioning 11,000 MW aging coal-fired power stations.

• Strategic plan agriculture and forestry. Objective 17,500 new green jobs

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

New Green Growth Path

• NGP sees the “green economy” as key “job drivers”, particularly by realising the potential unleashed as the greening of sectors, including energy generation through renewable sources, introduction of cleaner and more efficient production processes and improved natural resources management.

• Established by Economic Development Department• Provides strategies to create five million new jobs in

SA by 2020. 300,000 GJ by 2020• Vision: more developed, democratic, cohesive and

equitable economy and society.

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

New Growth Path- Key actions

• Key actions to support green economy:– Renewable energy generation and energy

efficiency– Green industrial support. SMEs– Setting codes for commercial buildings– Social pact– Skills development– Enhancing public works on green sectors– Green technology and fiscal policies

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

Green Economy Accord

• Signed government, business and unions• 12 commitments:

– 1 mill solar water systems by 2014-1015– Increasing investment in green economy– Procurement of renewable energies– Biofuels for vehicles– Clean-coal initiatives– Improve mass transportation and shift to rail for

freight transport– Electrification of poor communities – Promotion of youth employment, cooperatives and

skills development

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

Primary industries: Highly dependent on biodiversity

Farming, forestry sector, fishing,

water supply

Biodiversity provide raw

materials

Biodiversity is the basis of

development in the sectors

Regulating ecosystem

services are needed for the

functioning

Biodiversity is the basis of production

of these sectors

36% jobs in developing countries

6,5% jobs in EU

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development

Manufacturing industries dependent on inputs and processes from ecosystems

Energy supply, mining, food, drink and tobacco,

wood and paper, pharmaceuticals and

other production industries

Ecosystem services

essential for production

Biodiversity provision of

raw materials

Biodiversity products and ecosystem

services development

Ecosystem services

essential for processing

activities

30% jobs in developing countries

17% jobs in EU


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