Brussels, 29/06/2007
Climate change is liable to accentuate social inequalities, because it will have a greater impact on the poorer countries and, within countries, on the least well-off communities. In Europe, too, jobs might be threatened in many economic sectors which depend upon the climate, such as farming, tourism, fisheries or water, and in areas prone to flooding.
Drawing on a recent study coordinated by the ETUC, Confederal Secretary Joël Decaillon sounds the alarm: “Even on the optimistic assumption of global warming being limited to 2°C, large numbers of jobs will come under threat in Europe, particularly in the rural areas of the South or in mountainous regions. The impact will be all the stronger given that these regions offer few alternative sources of employment. On top of that, more frequent heatwaves might increase health risks for employees working outdoors.”
It is admittedly possible to see some positive sides to climate change, for instance more land becoming available for agricultural production in the higher latitudes. However, it must be borne in mind that the ability to capitalise on these positive opportunities depends on a whole range of factors, such as access to the necessary technologies and skills. The transition costs could thus be very high.
The social partners - employers and trade unions - must be closely involved in the framing and application of adaptation policies at both European and national levels, so as wherever possible to avoid restructuring and to support the professional retraining required. The ETUC therefore calls for the European social partners to be represented in the European consultative group on adaptation to climate change which the European Commission plans to set up in the months ahead.