Dorje Khatri award for Climate Justice

Dorje Khatri was president of Nepal’s Sherpa trade union, and vice-president of GEFONT. He was tragically killed in an avalanche on Mount Everest (Chomolungma), April 2014. On one of his many ascents to the summit of the mountain he planted the ITUC flag - one of his many activities to highlight the effects of climate change and the need for climate action. The Dorje Khatri award was created in his honour and to recognise those who continue his work for climate justice.

2022 Dorje Khatri award for Climate Justice
LO Sweden, the Swedish Confederation of Trade Unions

Through social dialogue, LO Sweden has worked with major Swedish companies, such as SSAB, LKAB and Vattenfall, to develop industrial processes free from carbon dioxide emissions. For example, last year the partnership led to the production of the world’s first fossil-free iron and steel.


Previous winners:
2021
The winners - COSATU, FEDUSA, SAFTU, and NUMSA - participated in the Presidential Climate Commission, where Just Transition was agreed to be the foundation of a social pact. This led to an international recognition and agreement at COP26 in Glasgow with the Just Energy Transition Partnership and the declaration to support the conditions for Just Transition.

2020
The 2020 Dorje Khatri Award for Climate Justice, which recognises outstanding contributions to the fight for sustainability and Just Transition, was given to IndustriAll Europe for their ground-breaking work to bring Europe’s industrial policy in line with the demands of the Paris Agreement to reduce emissions in the mining, gas and steel sectors.

2019
The 2019 Dorje Khatri Award for trade union climate action was awarded to the ITUC Spanish affiliates CC.OO., UGT and USO for their success in achieving Just Transition for miners in the country’s northern coal-mining regions.

2017
The 2017 Dorje Khatri Award for climate activism was awarded to the CNV and the FNV Netherlands and to the Alberta Federation of Labour, affiliate of the CLC Canada, for securing exit plans from coal with Just Transition guarantees.

2016
The 2016 Dorje Khatri award was given to SEWA India for their practical approach to both climate action and development, in particular their initiative on solar energy for salt-pan workers.

2015
The 2015 Dorje Khatri award was awarded to the ITUC Philippines affiliates TUCP, FFW, SENTRO, KMU) for their extraordinary commitment to the twin objectives of climate action and workers’ rights.

2014
The 2014 Dorje Khatri Award was awarded to the family of Edwin Chota, an Asheninka indigenous person who was killed due to his work in the struggle for land rights and against illegal logging around the Peru/Brazil border.