Just Transition at the Intersection of Labour and Climate Justice Movements: Lessons from the Portuguese Climate Jobs Campaign

In the current context of climate change and its accompanying adverse effects on natural, human and social systems, the imperative of transitioning to low- and preferably post-carbon societies has become a non-negotiable reality if we want to avoid reaching the point of no return in terms of enviro...

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Main Author: Chrislain Eric Kenfack
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: McMaster University Library Press 2019-09-01
Series:Global Labour Journal
Online Access:https://mulpress.mcmaster.ca/globallabour/article/view/3631
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spelling doaj-5b6ba840487243e0a7b1809b4d3c7d5b2021-04-02T21:30:49ZengMcMaster University Library PressGlobal Labour Journal1918-67112019-09-0110310.15173/glj.v10i3.3631Just Transition at the Intersection of Labour and Climate Justice Movements: Lessons from the Portuguese Climate Jobs CampaignChrislain Eric Kenfack0University of Alberta In the current context of climate change and its accompanying adverse effects on natural, human and social systems, the imperative of transitioning to low- and preferably post-carbon societies has become a non-negotiable reality if we want to avoid reaching the point of no return in terms of environmental and climate catastrophe. Such a transition requires that the interests and needs of workers and their communities be taken into consideration to make sure they do not bear the heaviest part of the burden in terms of loss of jobs and means of survival, and that they are prepared to face the new, post-carbon labour environment. The concept of Just Transition was coined to describe both the socio-political project put forward by trade unions in response to climate change, and the recognition by climate activists that the livelihoods and security of workers and their communities must be ensured during the transition to a post-carbon society. However, just transition movements are divided between two quite different orientations, which are labelled “affirmative” and “transformative.” On the one hand, affirmative just transition advocates envisage a transition within the current political-economic system. Transformative just transition activists, on the other hand, envisage a post-capitalist transition. This article, drawing upon an extensive case study of the Portuguese climate jobs campaign, goes beyond showing how these orientations shape the positions taken by union and climate activists. The article also analyses how the conflicts and cooperation between these key actors can shed light on the possibilities and/or limitations of just transition as a framework for the collective action needed to achieve rapid, deep decarbonisation of economies in the Global North context. KEY WORDS: climate change; just transition; labour environmentalism; climate jobs; climate justice; climate activism https://mulpress.mcmaster.ca/globallabour/article/view/3631
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Chrislain Eric Kenfack
spellingShingle Chrislain Eric Kenfack
Just Transition at the Intersection of Labour and Climate Justice Movements: Lessons from the Portuguese Climate Jobs Campaign
Global Labour Journal
author_facet Chrislain Eric Kenfack
author_sort Chrislain Eric Kenfack
title Just Transition at the Intersection of Labour and Climate Justice Movements: Lessons from the Portuguese Climate Jobs Campaign
title_short Just Transition at the Intersection of Labour and Climate Justice Movements: Lessons from the Portuguese Climate Jobs Campaign
title_full Just Transition at the Intersection of Labour and Climate Justice Movements: Lessons from the Portuguese Climate Jobs Campaign
title_fullStr Just Transition at the Intersection of Labour and Climate Justice Movements: Lessons from the Portuguese Climate Jobs Campaign
title_full_unstemmed Just Transition at the Intersection of Labour and Climate Justice Movements: Lessons from the Portuguese Climate Jobs Campaign
title_sort just transition at the intersection of labour and climate justice movements: lessons from the portuguese climate jobs campaign
publisher McMaster University Library Press
series Global Labour Journal
issn 1918-6711
publishDate 2019-09-01
description In the current context of climate change and its accompanying adverse effects on natural, human and social systems, the imperative of transitioning to low- and preferably post-carbon societies has become a non-negotiable reality if we want to avoid reaching the point of no return in terms of environmental and climate catastrophe. Such a transition requires that the interests and needs of workers and their communities be taken into consideration to make sure they do not bear the heaviest part of the burden in terms of loss of jobs and means of survival, and that they are prepared to face the new, post-carbon labour environment. The concept of Just Transition was coined to describe both the socio-political project put forward by trade unions in response to climate change, and the recognition by climate activists that the livelihoods and security of workers and their communities must be ensured during the transition to a post-carbon society. However, just transition movements are divided between two quite different orientations, which are labelled “affirmative” and “transformative.” On the one hand, affirmative just transition advocates envisage a transition within the current political-economic system. Transformative just transition activists, on the other hand, envisage a post-capitalist transition. This article, drawing upon an extensive case study of the Portuguese climate jobs campaign, goes beyond showing how these orientations shape the positions taken by union and climate activists. The article also analyses how the conflicts and cooperation between these key actors can shed light on the possibilities and/or limitations of just transition as a framework for the collective action needed to achieve rapid, deep decarbonisation of economies in the Global North context. KEY WORDS: climate change; just transition; labour environmentalism; climate jobs; climate justice; climate activism
url https://mulpress.mcmaster.ca/globallabour/article/view/3631
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