Global debates on environment and labour Moustapha Kamal

Global debates on environment and labour Moustapha Kamal Gueye ILO Green Jobs Programme

Unsustainable patterns of consumption and production

Resource inefficiency Clean water losses Source: KNCPC

Resource inefficiency Sugar syrup overflowing from a reaction vessel, will be washed down the drain What is syrup? Sucrose, chemicals, water, heat Source: KNCPC

Material intensity in the world economy Greater material and energy efficiency could lead to: § More productive employment § Lower environmental, social and economic costs § Greater international competitiveness Domestic extraction of materials per unit of GDP by world region

New paradigm: planetary boundaries The inner green shading represents the proposed safe operating space for nine planetary systems. The red wedges represent an estimate of the current position for each variable. The boundaries in three systems (rate of biodiversity loss, climate change and human interference with the nitrogen cycle) have already been exceeded. Blue water consumption = 4, 000 -6, 000 cu km per year (danger zone) Current consumptive water use = 2, 600 cu km per year 6 Sources: www. nature. com/news/specials/planetaryboundaries/index. html;

Reversing trends – green economy as a pathway to sustainable development

What is a green economy? UNEP defines a green economy as “one that results in: § improved human well-being and social equity, § while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities” Source: UNEP, Green Economy Report, 2011

A green economy could deliver economic growth… Global Growth Trends 2010– 2050 and the “Green Investment Scenario” Source: UNEP, Green Economy Report, 2011

…while reducing ecological scarcities and environmental risks… Source: UNEP, Green Economy Report, 2011

KEY QUESTIONS: § WHAT. . . • • . . . is decent work? . . . are green (and decent) jobs? . . . are the different shades of green? . . . is the impact on employment as economies go greener?

APPROACH green jobs contribute to the promotion of decent work while protecting the environment Decent Work Agenda GREEN Environmental protection More and better jobs RESULTS Better social outcomes that are sustainable while addressing environment challenges

HOW IS DECENT WORK DEFINED? ?

THE FOUR PILLARS OF DECENT WORK ARE: § Respect of the ILO International Labour Standards § Equal opportunities, freely chosen, productive and gainful § Decent salary, social protection coverage, occupational safety and health § Freedom of association and colletive bargaining Gender equality Standards and Rights at Work Employment Creation Non discrimination Social Protection Tripartism and Social Dialogue

10 DECENT WORK INDICATORS § employment opportunities § unforced paid work § adequate earnings and productive work § fair and equal treatment in employment § decent working hours § social dialogue and workplace relations § safe work environment § stability and security of work § social protection § fair balance of work and family life

THE ILO DEFINITION OF GREEN JOBS Jobs are green when they help reduce negative environmental impact, and lead to environmentally, economically and socially sustainable enterprises and economies. Green jobs are decent jobs in all economic sectors that: • Reduce consumption of energy and raw materials • Limit green house gas emissions • Minimize waste and pollution • Protect and restore ecosystems and help adapting to climate change

WHAT ARE GREEN JOBS IN PRACTICE? Processes • Reducing energy and resource intensity • Reducing and recycling waste Products and services • Organic agricultural products (certified) • Green textiles (green labelling) • Eco-tourism (certified) Nature conservation • Ecosystem support • Natural resource management

EMPLOYMENT IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL SECTOR Green jobs creation

PROVIDE SOME EXAMPLES:

Green, but not decent: • Electronics recyclers without adequate occupational safety • Low-wage installers of solar panels • Exploited biofuel plantations laborers • … Green and decent: • Green architects • Waste workers with decent working conditions • Unionized solar energy equipment installer • Well-paid public transit employees • … Neither green nor decent: • Unsustainable coal miners without adequate protection • Women workers in the cut flower industry • Hog slaughterhouse workers • … Decent, but not green: • Unionized car manufacturing workers • Chemical engineers working for polluting industries • Airline pilots • …

SHADES OF GREEN § There are different degrees to which technologies, products, businesses, and business practices can be said to be green § The concept of ‘shades of green’ indicates that some of the policy measures are more farreaching and transformational than others in terms of environmental benefits § Controlling pollution (lighter shade) vs. avoiding pollution (darker shade)

SHADES OF GREEN IN THE TRANSPORT SECTOR More fuel-efficient vehicles Hybrid-electric, and fuel-cell vehicles CAR SHARING Hybrid-electric, and fuel-cell vehicles PUBLIC TRANSIT Non-motorized transport (biking, walking), changes in land-use policies and settlement patterns

VISION: 100% GREEN DECENT JOBS! 100 90 80 Process 100% material & energy efficient Zero waste & pollution 70 60 Shades of green 100% Decent Work 50 40 30 50 20 Product or Service Zero impact Environmental improvement 10 0 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

UPGRADING RECYCLING WORKERS IN BRAZIL § The world’s largest national waste-pickers movement § Objective: to increase the number of formalized waste-pickers from 60, 000 to 250, 000 members § Policy measures: legal recognition, entrepreneurial development, occupational safety and health precautions, child labour prevention, establishment of modern recycling methods and sorting stations, etc.

UNDERSTANDING THE EMPLOYMENT SHIFT… § New job creation § Job losses § Job substitution § Job transformation

TOWARDS A STATISTICAL DEFINITION § While operational definitions have been developed and applied in a growing number of countries, work is underway to formulate agreed statistical definitions at national, regional and international levels § The 19 th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (October 2013) adopted draft guidelines concerning a statistical definition of employment in environmental sector