Trade Union’s Topline Demands for COP24 in Katowice

On Sunday 2 December the climate conference COP24 starts in Katowice Poland. The COP takes place in the heartland of coal mining in Poland. It is a symbolic place for all workers worldwide to see that governments take climate change and the impact on workers seriously. These are the Topline Demands of the Unions in Katowice.

The urgency to tackle climate change is building up year by year. Climate change is affecting workers, their families and communities. Heat records were beaten in all regions last year and heat stress is affecting economies. Trade Unions have three topline demands for the climate negotiators in Katowice:

  1. Raise ambition with Just Transition.
    Unions want decent jobs on a living planet. Building trust through the guarantees of Just Transition measures will make it possible for governments to raise ambition. This should be reflected in the Paris Rulebook, the implementing guidelines that must be the result of COP24.
  2. Sign the “Solidarity and Just Transition Silesia”.
    Declaration Governments need to commit to the Polish government initiative – the Silesia Declaration– to drive agreement on a Just Transition for workers and the creation of decent work and quality jobs.
  3. Commit to finance for low-carbon development, support the most vulnerable.
    Adequate climate finance is the cornerstone of effective climate policy. It is needed to realise the low-carbon transition in the global north and to put the global south on a lowcarbon development path. Governments must live up to their promise to mobilise USD 100 billion annually by 2020.

For more information, read the ITUC Frontlines Briefing Climate Justice: COP24 Special Edition