BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 26. Global action and cooperation will be discussed at COP29, the director of the International Labor Organization's Office for Workers Maria Helena André said at an international conference on “Climate Change and Just Transition: The Role and Actions of Trade Unions” in Baku today, Trend reports.
“It is critical to address the region's environmental challenges, from nuclear testing in Kazakhstan and the aftermath of the Chornobyl disaster to the environmental challenges in the Caspian Sea from years of oil extraction. In addition, geopolitical instability driven by interests in the region's natural resources exacerbates its fragility and jeopardizes environmental sustainability. In the upcoming discussions, we will discuss the trade unions' contribution to the preparations for COP29, as well as their involvement in the implementation of the nationally defined contributions under the Paris Agreement due next year,” she said.
André emphasized that the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev, has already expressed his position in his welcome letter, and his remarks underline the importance of the common cause.
“The COP29 conference will discuss global action and cooperation. As the Minister noted, referring to the “final tests”, he emphasized the urgency with which issues of just transition and combating climate change need to be addressed. Ensuring that a just transition becomes an integral part of all Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) becomes a major challenge. At the same time, it is important that trade union organizations are not just involved in the discussions but also make commitments at the national level. One of the key aspects is the sharing of ideas, knowledge, and experiences so that all participants can benefit from such interactions,” she noted.
She mentioned that it has been previously mentioned that trade unions are uniquely positioned to advocate for climate justice and influence both national and global climate policies.
“Trade unions are at the forefront of many of today's challenges, and above all, they have a key role to play in ensuring that the impacts of climate change on workers - their lives, incomes, labor rights, and skills development - are taken into account. It is important that unions take an active role in creating the new sectors of activity that need to be developed to adapt to climate change and diversify the economy,” she added.