Climate Change and Employment

Impact on Employment of Climate Change and CO2 Emission Reduction Measures in the EU-25 to 2030

By European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the Social Development Agency (SDA)

Climate change represents an unprecedented challenge for employment policies and for the social partners: the anticipated job gains and losses are sizeable, and no sector can afford to ignore the consequences of climate change, whether they be directly impacted by global warming or whether they have to deal with the consequences - either positive or negative - of the measures taken to combat global warming.

The first part of the study examines the potential consequences for employment of global warming in Europe - which has already begun and will continue. The main finding is that even moderate climate change will affect economic activity and employment in Europe, with some regions and economic sectors being particularly vulnerable. Increased warming will be likely to have very damaging consequences.

The second half of the report considers the challenge for employment of the transition towards a lower CO2 European economy at the horizon 2030, in four key economic sectors: energy production, transport, steel and cement industries, construction/housing. The study considers a number of scenario for a reduction of 40% in CO2 emissions by the year 2030 and what the effects can be on European employment and skills. Case studies of eleven European countries are also analysed.

If the questions of employment and human resources are not more closely integrated into climate policies, we may expect them to become a major barrier to the economic, technological and societal transformations demanded in order to manage the transition to a more carbon-lean economy and in order to ensure that societies can adapt to the effects of climate change which are henceforth unavoidable.

This consequently shows that robust action on climate change, made up of both mitigation and adaptation measures, should be based upon two crucial elements: the immediate setting in place of the political options which are most effective in delivering the double dividend of the fight against climate change and the creation of quality jobs, on the one hand; and on the other hand, the introduction of instruments to anticipate and provide socially responsible support for the economic and social changes demanded,

and to make workers into the players in that change.

The study is primarily designed for the trade union organisations and the political decision-makers. It will help the former to boost their expertise on the social dimension of the issues around climate change, with a view to the opening of dialogues with the employers' organisations and the public authorities on the impact of the adaptation and mitigation measures on employment.

February 2007. ETUC Brussels