Collectively our workers across every sector are key stakeholders in the transformations necessary to meet the UK’s commitment challenge to get to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Public services are vital to this agenda – that means we can use our influence to act, and to support our members’ actions, in addressing this emergency situation.
Our members are often at the frontline of managing the affects on our health and our environment. All our jobs are, or will be, affected in one way or another. And, of course, our energy workers are at the forefront of delivering the new renewable technologies and infrastructure that reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
This year, July saw the three highest global temperatures ever recorded and a new study showed that pollution alone now accounts for more deaths globally than war, disease and drugs combined.
Heatwaves are now estimated to kill 30 times more people a year than tropical cyclones. Yet, despite pollution and heatwaves causing such devastation, they are unseen catastrophes. Unlike floods, hurricanes and wildfires, they don’t leave a trail of physical destruction or striking images in the news.
And we know that, both at home and abroad, pollution and extreme heat prey on the poorest and most disadvantaged people. And it is public services, and our members, who have to pick up the pieces of these impacts in the UK.
We can’t afford to bury our head in the sand and hope this goes away.
While initial signs are very encouraging, we wait to see if this new Labour government will be ambitious enough to do what’s needed, both fairly and in time. The UK must urgently get back on track with its commitments and continue to lead and encourage others to do the same.
As a public service union, we are clear that the money we are not investing now, up-front, on meeting those vital carbon reduction targets will end up being spent 10 or a hundred times over on attempting to adapt to whatever comes next. That’s money that could and should be saved to strengthen the public services we all rely on.
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Stirling UNISON 