Una hora por la Tierra

This Saturday at half past eight in the evening the lights go down all over the planet. One hour to show the world leaders that we care - no matter where you are or who you are. As part of the labour movement, take an hour on Saturday 23rd March to stand up for climate justice and green and decent jobs.

Many workers are directly depending upon the environment, especially in sectors such as agricultural, fisheries, forestry and tourism. And millions more depend on the world’s resources without realising it: industrial activities depend on raw materials for producing goods, and the service sector uses energy, infrastructure and goods that all have an impact on the environment.

A report made by the Millennium Institute for the ITUC using a green investment model shows how new investments of 2% of GDP in just six G20 countries, in each of the next five years, could create up to 42 million jobs.

“Despite research showing opportunities and the urgency to act, governments and investors stick to business as usual,” said Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the ITUC. “We must mobilise to show workers believe in our collective capacity to grow decent, good quality jobs, and to do so while protecting the environment at the same time.”

The ITUC global poll in 2011 completed in the lead-up to the Rio+20 summit demonstrated the shocking reality that overwhelmingly people believe that the next generation will be worse off and alarmingly that only 13% of people believe that voters have real influence on the economic decisions of government.

The only way by which we can change this situation is showing our leaders that we care. We care for our people, for our planet, for the next generations and their capacity to live in a healthy and fairer planet. It is still possible. And green jobs are a major part of the equation.

Take an hour on Saturday to stand with the ITUC and the WWF for a healthy and fair planet and climate justice for all.

There are no jobs on a dead planet.