The 25th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP25) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) took place from December 2-15, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. More than 26,700 people attended, including over 13,600 government delegates, nearly 10,000 observers, and over 3,000 members of the media. Attendees included representatives of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the world's largest trade union federation.
PIPSC’s National Capital Region Director Waheed Khan participated as a member of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) delegation. A trained scientist and working as a Senior Advisor, Climate Change for the federal government, he was well placed to contribute to the discussions on this issue, undoubtedly the greatest challenge of our times.
At COP25, trade union representatives underscored the need to protect human rights and called for working together towards a Just Transition for workers. Just Transition is a framework developed by the labour movement to encompass a range of social interventions needed to secure workers' rights and livelihoods when economies are shifting to sustainable production, primarily avoiding climate change and protecting biodiversity.
Labour movement delegates pressed government representatives to step up ambition in their national contributions to the fight against climate change, and to support the Climate Action for Jobs Initiative, which was co-launched at COP25 by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, and International Labour Organization Director-General, Guy Ryder.
During the Conference, Director Khan participated in a number of meetings with senior government officials from around the world, including Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Jonathan Wilkinson. This provided an opportunity to introduce the Minister to PIPSC, to underscore the importance of investments in public science, to highlight the work of Canada’s public scientists and to ensure that Canadians and their elected leaders better understand the challenges of climate change.
While delivering Canada’s National Statement at the Conference, Minister Wilkinson acknowledged the work of the Canadian labour delegation and announced that the government will come forward with legislation that commits it to a net-zero-by-2050 goal, with milestones every five years, paired with a Just Transition Act to make sure people are kept at the centre of its policies. Minister Wilkinson also participated in a Just Transition event organized by ITUC and CLC.
The 2019 federal elections amply demonstrated that climate change is a top of mind issue for millions of Canadians. This is particularly true for PIPSC members, thousands of whom are government scientists working to solve the climate crisis. The Institute and its members can support their colleagues’ critical work by:
- Profiling members who work on climate change and support their speaking engagements, including at PIPSC functions or meetings;
- Reducing or eliminating the use of single-use plastics and other wasteful material at PIPSC functions or meetings;
- Promoting the use of electronic means to conduct meetings;
- As youth is highly mobilized to take action on climate change, supporting our younger members in activities that address the issue.
- Planting trees, as will be done during the Institute’s 100th Anniversary Celebrations, and supporting the government of Canada’s commitment to plant two billion trees.
