UCU at the climate talks in Durban, 2011

You can download Graham's final report here:

Durban Report [71kb]

And you can read his diary from his trip below.

Wednesday 30 November

The reports in the UK media about the prospects for the Kyoto Protocol are echoed here. The UCU supports the 3 key demands of the ITUC for a new climate deal:

1. Mitigation and the legal outcome

• Developed countries must commit to an emission reduction target of at least 25% to 40% by 2020.
• A 'high ambition' Kyoto Protocol 2 to avoid a gap in emission reduction commitments and preserve the legally binding KP. It should be renewed from 2012, with the highest emission target already pledged or more.

2. Climate Finance

• Durban should deliver a road map ensuring the $100 billion agreed in Cancun will be directed through the Green Climate Fund, detailing the public sources, and incorporating innovative sources of finance such as the Financial Transactions Tax.

3. The International Labour Organisation and a Just Transition

• A Just Transition to create green and decent jobs, and a framework for national dialogue between unions, governments, business and communities in every country.
• Incorporate labour and social protection issues in workstreams under the Long-term Co-operative Action (LCA) - like social protection in the work of the Adaptation Committee and skills development in the work of the Technology Centres.
• Mandate the ILO to work on the implementation of Just Transition and decent work.

Maximum pressure needs to be exerted on all governments to ensure that polluters are not put ahead of people. The voice of developing countries needs to be heard above those of the multinationals and those governments pressing for watered down pledge and review agreements. The Africa Group in the opening address made it clear that it 'would like to declare clear and loud that it will not let African soil be a graveyard for the Kyoto Protocol."

UCU will be working with the Congress of South African Trades Unions (COSATU) and ITUC to support the World Of Work Pavilion at KwaZulu Natal University. In particular we will be:

• Participating in  the Global day of Action demonstration in Durban on Dec. 3rd 
• Speaking at the 1 million climate jobs conference on Dec. 4th
• Presenting a Workshop on 'From Greening the Workplace to Community Alliances' on Dec. 6th.

Finally congratulations on what looks like a magnificent response to the attacks on our pensions. The economic and the environmental crises need a united and co-ordinated response.

Friday 1 December

Hello again from not so sunny Durban. In fact there have been serious floods in the area killing 14 people. This underlines the fact that some of the worst examples of climate change are more pronounced in Africa than many other parts of the world. Please read The Guardian article by John Vidal.

The COP17 conference continues to be a contrast between the diplomatic niceties in the Conference sessions and the inspiring contact with the trades unions and the civil society organisations outside the main venue. The diplomatic process is of course disguising what many see as an attempt to stall the process of a 2nd commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol.

The indifference to principles of justice, including climate justice, is reflected in the first major decision to come out of the talks - where to hold the next one!! The fact that Qatar has been chosen underlines the some of the problems with the whole UN process. Qatar has an appalling record on human rights and the ITUC has called for a review of this decision.

UCU will be participating in the Global day of Action on Saturday when we will be marching with our comrades from trades unions in South Africa and around the world. This will be followed by the Climate Jobs Conference on Sunday where we will be presenting a plenary on Ensuring a Just Transition to a low carbon economy. Reports on these next week.

UCU is working closely with the TUC on the delegation. .

Here's the link to Philip Pearson's blog with further updates

Wednesday 8 December

My involvement at the COP17 Conference comes to an end today. Compared to previous COPs there has been little international publicity and this year very little engagement by Heads of State. There is currently no sign of an agreement that will represent a way forward on climate change. The term Conference of Polluters is increasingly being used to reflect the efforts to sabotage any agreement on the Kyoto Protocol 2, a Roadmap and the Finance arrangements. The unions 'prize' of the adoption of a 'Just transition', from the Cancun summit in 2010, looks increasingly vulnerable. There are the obvious villains like the USA and Saudi Arabia but the truth is that there is no leadership being shown by anyone in this process.

Our UK trade union delegation had meetings with the UK and European Union representatives and came away with the view that no one is prepared to break the deadlock. Let's hope I'm proved wrong when we get the final texts at the end of the week.

Meanwhile outside the conference UCU has had a far more productive time working with other trades unions and the social movements.
Saturday, Dec. 3rd - There was a 10,000 strong demonstration calling for climate justice
Sunday, Dec 4th - UCU chaired one of the workshops at the 1 million climate jobs conference attended by 500 people.
Tuesday, Dec. 7th - We organised a workshop on 'Greening the workplace: Community Alliances' with the TUC to promote our work.
The ITUC workshops at the World of Work pavilion that have been taking place everyday from Nov. 29th- Dec. 7th have been a great opportunity to share ideas with other trades unions from around the world.

The contacts made will be used to support our work in the UK and international arena. We have a strong Climate Change policy adopted at our last Education International World Congress and we need in the face of this Durban disaster to ramp up the campaign in our sector.

I will produce a full report for our next UCU Environment News in January.