By: Anandi Sharan

Anandi Sharan — Mon, 21 May 2012 04:13:56 +0000

The one million climate jobs plan sponsored by the Public and Commercial Services Union, the University and College Union, the Communication Workers Union and the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association in the UK is interesting for what it leaves out. Whilst the renewable energy plan is ok on first glance, the agriculture and industry sector discussion – sectors which according to the author’s data taken from defra account for 2 tco2e per person per year out of 11 tonnes, is weak. The reason is that they have forgotten embodied (also known as embedded) emissions (emissions imported along imported goods.) or rather they do not know how to handle them. It is why they can so easily advocate the use of all that steel aluminium etc in the proposed renewables and transport systems. Where will these materials be produced? The Carbon trust UK calculated that “Embodied carbon flows are large and growing Approximately 25% of all CO2 emissions from human activities ‘flow’ (i.e. are imported or exported) from one country to another. The flow of carbon is comprised of roughly 50% emissions associated with trade in commodities such as steel, cement, and chemicals, and 50% in semi-finished/finished products such as motor vehicles, clothing or industrial machinery and equipment. Embodied carbon imports are significant for many developed economies Major developed economies are typically net importers of embodied carbon emissions. UK consumption emissions are 34% higher than production emissions: Germany (29%), Japan (19%) and the USA (13%) are also significant net importers of embodied emissions. For some economies with very carbon efficient production processes, the relative importance of imported carbon is even greater. The high levels of net imports in France (43%) and Sweden (61%) reflect in part the low carbon intensity of their energy systems. Many developing countries export embodied emissions in international trade Developing countries are generally net exporters of CO2 emissions. For example, in 2004 China exported ~23% of all its domestically produced CO2.” The authors are not willing to address the issue of border controls, they simply say it is a global issue.The UK Parliament quotes that “the greenhouse gas footprint of the UK food chain was 160mtCO2e in 2006, an estimated 22% of emissions from UK economic activity. Primary food production in the UK accounts for a third of the overall UK food chain’s carbon footprint. Collectively, the industries which process, manufacture, distribute and sell food account for a further third. Consumers are responsible for the remaining third, including embedded emissions in imported products.” One way for the authors of the report to rectify the error would be to propose that the UK only trades with countries that adopt a standard like the UKs, so the document needs a standard. So the standard could be: emissions will never exceed the sink capacity of the UK’s forests. This is what we are proposing for India. This standard would also push the authors to look into new jobs in the agriculture and forestry sector which are simply not addressed at all here. Unless these 3 issues are addressed: the UK’s absolute emission standard; and trade; and land reform and jobs in agriculture and forests in order to reduce dependence on industrial production in exporter countries, this report will not add much serious matter to addressing the issue.

By: Climate Jobs Caravan

Climate Jobs Caravan — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:27:53 +0000

If you would like to find out more about the Campaign for One Million Climate Jobs, and the Caravan, please visit our website http://www.climate-change-jobs.org

The report is supported by the TSSA, CWU, PCS and UCU unions and can be downloaded from the website. You can also order hardcopies, with discounts for bulk orders for union branches and campaign groups.

climatetradeunion@gmail.com

Comments on: One Million Climate Jobs: An interview with John Stewart

By: Anandi Sharan

By: Climate Jobs Caravan