Strategic Action Center

Climate Change / Global Warming

During the late 80’s and early 90’s I represented the Industrial Union Department, AFL-CIO, on the United Nations Commission on global Warming.  There were no other American labor representatives serving on the commission.  At that time the science was becoming increasingly clear that we had faced a serious problem, but to some, it was not yet crystal clear.  Today it is.  I recommend Gus Speth’s book, Red Sky at Morning.  Gus served as the chair of the Environmental Quality Council under both President Carter and President Clinton, and directed much of the early research on climate change, and then under Clinton was able to update the research.  The new results were clear – the changes are coming much quicker than anyone thought initially.  In his book Mr. Speth outlines the nature of the problem, and offers solutions – transitions that need to be made if we are to meet the challenge and take corrective measures.

The train has left the station and science, technology, and political will are coming together to solve the climate change crisis.  But we don’t have much time left – we need to enact policies within the next five years designed to address the problem.  Labor has much to gain by getting onboard in a big way now.  A former World Bank official, Sir Nicholas Drake, released a study recently describing the climate change challenge in economic terms.  He said very clearly that if we don’t address the issue now, we will face a major depression.  Every union has a stake in this issue.

The Strategic Action Center is uniquely suited to help the labor movement and the environmental movement work together.  The combined political will and power is needed, and the combined know-how is needed.  If the jobs that science and technology bring are to be good jobs that support a family, the labor movement needs to become a major part of the solution.