Just transition

A just transition – call from climate camp 2008

The climate camp is determined to stop the human causes of climate chaos because of the devastating impacts it will have on both people and planet. Climate chaos is a social justice issue because it is already killing people now and because it will impact upon the poorest and most vulnerable first, both nationally and globally.

We are in an ecological and an energy crisis that has its roots in a capitalist system that has steadily exploited both people and resources for hundreds of years. A future with less energy consumption is inevitable; and we believe it is better to plan for that future than be overtaken by it. We must wean ourselves off fossil fuels – but we must do it in a fair and just way. That is why we endorse the idea of Just Transition.

Just transition has been an active force in USA for over 10 years and has a good tradition of generating solidarity between workers, environmentalists ands communities.
Just Transition is a principle, a process and a practice.
The principle is that a healthy economy and a clean environment can and should co-exist.
The process is that changes to employment or activities should be fair and not cost workers or communities their health, wealth or assets.
The practice is that those affected by these changes should take a leading role in creating new policies and solutions.

In addition, we recognise that as climate and energy problems bite, the rich will try and squeeze the costs from poorer and working communities. We reject this response and say that costs and taxes must not fall on the vulnerable parts of society but on those most able to shoulder them.
We recognise the principle of solidarity. Communities, workers and activists should fight together for improvements for all people and not sacrifice or marginalise another group because they are distant or different.
We recognise there has to be clear and full compensation to workers and communities for the costs of switching to a different economy, for community redevelopment and for the health and clean up costs of previous industries.

In 2008 the Camp for Climate action will be at Kingsnorth power station. Because of the impact of burning coal we are determined to stop the building of new coal fired power stations. In addition the move to a low carbon economy will mean the UK’s current stock of coal fired power stations will have to move towards early retirement.
This does not mean we are not concerned about the workers in those industries. Since 2006 the climate camp has made it clear that solving the problem of climate change also means challenging inequality and exploitation, in solidarity with other groups including workers. We want a planned transition, with the decisions of workers being central; not people thrown on the scrap heap when they are not wanted anymore, which is the usual scenario when governments make the decisions.

We are against the plans to build new coal fired power stations, but we are firmly not against those working within the industry. We are for those industry workers being given a real say in what happens. Our historic solidarity is with the miners. We recognise that the shift from coal to gas was achieved in part by an aggressive and political attack on the miners their union and their communities.. The changes in the energy sector (and within society as a whole) that we are calling for requires positive struggle based on a fight for justice and general solidarity that the miners dispute itself could have given rise to.

We want to see workers movements and unions becoming the driving force for a transition to a low carbon society that challenges inequality, poverty, and climate change. We want to work with any such movement to help make that happen.

Technical solutions are not enough; we have to address the roots of the problem. An economy that pits worker against worker in an endless search for growth and profits is never going to tackle the human and ecological crisis we currently face. The next 10 years will see massive changes across all sectors of society. We believe that this is a massive opportunity to create a society that values people for more than their ability to create profit. It is a massive opportunity to re-invest in communities and local economies and to create thriving, healthy environments. But it will not come without a struggle and it is an opportunity we will miss if we, the huge global majority who stand to lose or gain over the coming decades, do not work together.