Brussels, 22/06/2009 (Agence Europe) - On 22 and 23 June in a prelude to Green Week 2009, the European Commission in organising a major event in Brussels to examine the impact of climate change on employment. Bringing together around 350 policy makers and experts, this latest edition of the Restructuring Forum will address issues such as how many jobs will be lost and how many created due to climate change; how skills and qualifications will have to evolve; and what role the social partners can play to help.
Vladimír Špidla, the Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs, launched the debate on climate change and its effect on work and company restructuring and pointed out that their priorities in climate change (a low carbon footprint economy) and employment (less painful restructuring for the employees affected) are not always met but they are not contradictory. The Commissioner also pointed out that they should not attempt to conceal the fact that the transition into a low carbon footprint economy would be accompanied by adjustments in the employment area, which could prove painful in the short and medium terms. In the future, a much higher number of people are expected to find work in the renewable energies sector, particularly in member states that joined the EU in 2004 and 2007. Positive repercussions on the economy are forecast, explained Mr Špidla in a reference to a Commission study on renewable energies policy is expected to create around 410,000 additional jobs and increase EU27 GDP by 0.24% by 2020. The Commissioner said that climate change would initially be characterised by a transformation in existing jobs and most jobs would be affected. He explained that training would be a very affective way of helping this transformation in which social partners would play an essential role. Social dialogue should not be restricted to training, it should also include working conditions, worker consultation, research and other subjects affected by climate change, affirmed Mr Špidla, who welcomed the fact that European social partners had included climate change in their work programme. He concluded that, “an ambitious environmental policy cannot survive without a social perspective”. (G.B./trans/rh)