Environment/Climate Change, PPPs
Responding to the challenge of climate change
Climate change, the largest single threat to current and future generations, is posing fundamental challenges for public services and public service workers. In recent years, we have seen extreme weather events, flooding and forest fires for example, leading to loss of life and widespread damage and destruction of buildings and infrastructure. Our members across many services have been part of the immediate and longer term response – in emergency and rescue services, energy and water, local and regional government. EPSU has been working hard to influence policies at global and European level aimed at decarbonising our economies and calling for a shift away from growth at all costs. It is essential that we achieve a more sustainable society is achieved through a just transition whereby no one is left behind.
This briefing, produced for EPSU's 2019 Congress, sets out the federation's recent activity on climate change and current priorities. EPSU has published research focusing on some of the key issues and policy developments including its position on the EU's Green Deal, the failure of energy liberalisation to address climate change and an analysis of action on climate change adaptation.
EPSU Conference on Utilities in the European context: Change, Modernization and Adaptation: Lisbon agenda 2020 and workers
22-23 September 2010, Brussels - Read our press release Final report - Impact of 2020 strategy on energy, water and waste sectors in eastern neigbourhood and enlargement countries, PSIRU report
Climate change: Voicing the concerns of workers in energy, water and waste
(17 February 2011) The trade unions discussed the implications of climate change on public services and in particular on energy, water and waste. The [recommendations of a study->http://www.epsu.org/IMG/pdf/PP-dupressoir-confsept-final.pdf] were debated
Position of the EPSU on the Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on energy end-use efficiency and energy services
June 2004 Position of the European Public Service Union (EPSU) on the Commission of the European Communities' “Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on