Read the article at the Guardian’s Comment is Free
The EU climate package,
which is currently under negotiation in the European parliament,
stresses that employers have a vital role to play in tackling climate
change. Over half of our climate emissions in the UK are work-related,
yet most businesses have been slow to initiate and implement carbon
reduction measures.
One way to increase momentum would be
through recognising and developing the role of trade union green
representatives. In the same way that health and safety reps address
issues regarding workers’ wellbeing, so green reps could resolve problems related to the environmental performance of their workplace.
The TUC’s Green Workplaces project, which began in 2006, supported
trade union initiatives to "green" six workplaces: the steelmakers
Corus, Friends Provident, DEFRA, Scottish Power, the British Museum and
the TUC. Joint union-management energy and environment committees were
set up at all six, through which a range of energy saving and staff
engagement initiatives are being implemented.
At the British
Museum, the committee has shaped a sustainability policy, improved
recycling, assessed ways of making jobs and travel to work more
environmentally sustainable, looked at the heating and cooling system
of the building and won commitments to making a new wing of the
building carbon neutral. It also managed to reduce the museum’s
electricity bill by 7% in a single year, equating to an annual saving
of around £44,000.
The TUC is now aiding more of their members to
become effective green reps through the provision of training
materials, as well as lobbying the government for an amendment to the employment bill to legally recognise such a role.
So
far, the government has been opposed to the idea, but there are clear
benefits from engaging with unions to meet new environmental standards.
Given their established negotiating role within organisations, union
members are ideally placed to promote, implement and help develop best
environmental workplace practice.
The government has pledged to reduce its carbon emissions by 80% by 2050.
While they plan to do this in large part through off-setting emissions,
substantial reductions will be necessary across all sectors. Given that
so many individuals working inside industries are willing to aid such a
shift it would be foolish not to enable them to deliver.
As well
as changing practices in the workplace, dedicated green reps raise
environmental awareness with employees, helping to change individual
behaviour and spread the green message outside the workplace. This is
something to consider with regard to the efficacy of national awareness
campaigns.
At the Green party conference this autumn, the highest
priority motion, calling for legally recognised green reps in the UK,
passed without opposition. In the European parliament, I and my fellow
Green MEP, Caroline Lucas,
recently put forward a written declaration, co-signed by members of the
Socialist and Alliance of Liberals and Democrats groups, calling on
the commission and member states to also give legal rights to green
reps. The idea is proving popular among most political groups and I
encourage my other European colleagues to get behind this initiative.
The more immediate EU targets for 20-30% reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020
will require collective action and engagement with workers’ unions. As
well as helping industry meet current and future environmental targets,
green reps would also help ensure any changes are undertaken in a just
manner, with the participation and support of employees.
By
delivering significant environmental improvements through peer-to-peer
and employer-workforce engagement, green reps could help the UK and EU
shift to a low carbon economy. However, they will only achieve their
potential if they are afforded the rights to allow time for relevant
training, the undertaking of workplace environmental audits and systems
implementation. The government and the European commission have the opportunity to secure these rights and I urge them take this important step.