By Tara Ehrcke, Committee for Action on Social Justice member
As devastating as the pandemic has been, it pales in comparison to what is coming if we do not get our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under control. Fires, floods, and hurricanes are already here, and they are getting more frequent and more deadly. Just like the pandemic has an exponential growth potential, the effects of climate change will come slowly—until they don’t. We have passed the stage where stopping it is easy, but we are still in the stage where we can prevent the worst devastation. If (and it’s a very big if) we can cut our emissions in half by 2030 and to net zero by 2050.
Concern about climate change isn’t anything new. Remember the Kyoto Protocol? That was 1997. Twenty-four years ago. Yet emissions since that time have grown, so the new treaties tell us we have to cut back even more. But, so far, United Nations treaties don’t seem to be doing the trick.
Things are so bad that two years ago 15-year-old student Greta Thunberg was able to spark a millions-strong movement calling for action. And yet, two years since the climate strikes began, we have a lot of declarations and very few tangible actions.
As writer and long-time trade unionist Jane McAlevey puts it, “Youth have always brought two essential ingredients to social movements: moral compass and an exciting, unique form of energy. Their vision is bold, and they are uncompromising. But to halt and reverse the carbon economy, save the planet, and create a future with jobs that youth will look forward to requires far more power and a serious strategy.”
That’s where you and I come into the picture.
The history of the 20th century demonstrates the incredible power of the labour movement—perhaps the one force that can push against corporate interests to win real advances. The weekend, paid sick leave, and pensions are all gains won thanks to the labour movement. Also, employment insurance, universal healthcare, and free K–12 education. These are advances that benefit not only the workers and unions that fight for them, but the whole population.
If we are going to stop the climate catastrophe, we will need the labour movement. And the labour movement will have to do more than play a supporting role. We are a group capable of contesting intransigent corporations and the intransigent governments that serve those corporations.
Already there are some inspiring examples of unions using their bargaining power to push for real climate action. In New York State, a coalition of unions worked together under the umbrella of Climate Jobs New York. They developed a bold policy platform to:
- retrofit all public schools.
- reduce energy use in all public buildings by 40% by 2025.
- expand access to residential retrofit programs.
- install 2 GW of solar energy on public schools.
- install 2 GW of utility scale solar projects.
- install 7.5 GW of offshore wind by 2025.
- repair and expand New York City public transit.
- establish a bus rapid transit program.
- construct a high-speed rail.
- establish a just transition task force.
Designed to ensure that workers’ jobs are maintained and expanded and that public services are at the forefront of transportation shifts, the coalition of over a dozen unions has already had a major breakthrough, winning a contract for new wind power generation that will supply 30 GW of renewable energy and create 83,000 jobs.
A similar program in BC has massive potential. We desperately need to retrofit our public and private building stock, build new public transportation options such as high-speed rail, ensure we produce enough renewable energy to end reliance on natural gas, and develop a just transition framework that looks at renewable energy as well as inequality, racial injustices, and the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The BCTF could work with other unions to develop a policy platform and incorporate climate demands in our bargaining processes. Now is the time to develop our goals and strategy and to build alliances with other unions—to work toward real climate solutions.