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Towards sustainable industrial and energy policy in Asia Pacific

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30 April, 2014IndustriALL Global Union Conference “Towards Sustainable Industrial and Energy Policy"

Financially supported by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) energy and climate programme, IndustriALL held an important conference in the development of its sustainable industrial policies 24-25 April 2014 in Manila, Philippines.
 
A discussion rich with insights into the region's energy and sustainability issues was held with 29 participants from Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. Participants were invited primarily but not exclusively from the energy sector. The discussion was facilitated by Brian Kohler, IndustriALL's Director for Health, Safety and Sustainability with the participation and assistance of IndustriALL's Regional Secretary Annie Adviento, FES-Philippines Director Gus Cerdena.
 
Brian Kohler presented IndustriALL's discussion paper, “Towards Sustainable Industrial Policy” emphasizing: (1) the three dimension of sustainability (environmental, social, and economic); (2) climate change and the link to energy choices; (3) the concept and application of Just Transition.
 
Participants expressed their firm conviction that trade unions must set the direction towards sustainability. While our natural focus may be on the social dimension, the environmental and economic dimensions are equally important. Trade union issues are sustainability issues, and vice-versa; whether the topic is renewable energy, occupational health and safety, precarious work, economic development, health care, water, or climate change.
 
For energy-using industries, security of energy supplies and stability of energy costs are key to economic development. That needed energy must be produced and distributed in an environmentally friendly manner; and the environmental and social impacts of the production and consumption of energy – including impacts vertically along the entire value chain and horizontally into other industrial sectors – must be guided by public policies enacted and enforced in the public interest.
 
Many of the problems we face are problems of a deficit of democracy; and far too often, of corruption. Governments must be forced to live up to their responsibilities; and particularly to construct a Just Transition wherever existing industries may be disrupted.
 
Society, the environment, and the economy are all in crisis due to the greed and incompetence of a very small percentage of the population. These problems are greater in developing countries. Even if the greening of the economy has the potential to create many jobs, they will not be decent jobs, and they may leave many workers cast aside, without union strength. We have a responsibility to today's and future workers to face these problems and design solutions.