The United Nations Conference, Cop24, began this Sunday afternoon in Katowice, Poland. The Polish presidency wants to include as early as Monday, a social component in the ecological transition for employees who still work polluting sectors.
The Prime Minister of Fiji, Franck Bainimarama, president of the previous United Nations Climate Conference, officially handed over to Michal Kurtyka this Sunday afternoon in Katowice, Poland. It is as President of Cop24 that the Polish Minister for the Environment has opened negotiations in the coming days.
Poland begins very strongly tomorrow Monday by "imposing" on the leaders a social component to the Paris Agreement on Climate (2015). "A just transition" must accompany the transition to renewable energies. This demand comes from the coal unions, very powerful in Poland. Nearly 85,000 miners are still working in the mines and coal still produces 80% of the country's energy. Australia, just as dependent on its coal as Poland, has already shown great interest. Prime Minister Steven Thurnbull was the first to answer the Polish presidency. He will be here tomorrow, Monday.
"On paper, nothing to say about this initiative, says Fanny Petitbon, in charge of the coordination of the NGO Care. Establishing a participatory social dialogue, with the unions and the territories concerned, is rather a good thing. The ecological transition must be accompanied by social measures. "
François de Rugy, for France
The method chosen by Poland to adopt this "just transition" is also quite new for this type of UN meeting. States must sign this Declaration of Silesia - the name of the very mining region where COP24 takes place - and notify it in writing. Shame on the one who passes away, he will be known and recognized ... The French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe having canceled his coming, it is the Minister of the Environment François de Rugy who will engage France on this social aspect, this Monday.
This Polish novelty should have no weight on the major negotiations which will continue until December 14th. It is absolutely not binding. Each state will start the social dialogue it wants ... But in this period of very strong social unrest, with yellow jackets, there may be food for thought.