Promoting Safety & Health in a Green Economy

Georginia M. Pascual Project Officer Greener Business Asia ILO - Philippines

Outline
Context & key concepts Social dimension of the Green Debate Shades of green in green jobs Green Jobs & occupational risks Local initiatives The way forward

Dual challenge
Social challenge:
the prospect of well-being and dignity for all in the face of rapid population growth worldwide and the current exclusion of over a billion people from economic and social development Environment: Averting dangerous climate change and Protecting life-support on earth

The dual challenge in numbers

Climate-related disasters: 262 million people affected annually over the period 2000-2004 Water shortages: 1.8 billion expected to suffer from fresh water scarcity by 2025, mostly in Asia and Africa Displacement by flooding: 330 million people increasingly exposed to flooding in coastal areas, Food shortages and malnutrition: currently affect 180 million people and threaten to affect 600 million people by 2080 Working poor: 1.3 billion in the world with earnings too low to lift them and their dependants above the poverty threshold of $2 per day (more than 43 per cent of the global workforce) Unemployed: 190 million globally

Opportunity to find global solutions

A safe & just transition ?

Global challenges for sustainable development
Climate change + deterioration of natural resources Built on economic growth, social equity & environmental protection

Industries that provide products or services related to renewable energy, increased energy efficiency, clean transportation and fuels, agriculture and natural resource conservation, and pollution prevention or environmental cleanup.

One that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.. .Low-carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive (UNEP, 2011)

http://hqweb.unep.org/greeneconomy/

KEY FINDINGS from the Initiative

Higher rates of GDP growth over time and enhanced wealth Central to Poverty Alleviation
Green investments provide expanded benefits (not only economic but also improve natural capital, social protection, security) and spur local economy

Creates jobs and enhances social equity Better quality of growth than a brown economy

Green Jobs Initiative

Partners: ILO, UNEP, ITUC and IOE Green Jobs Report (September 2008)

Green Jobs are based on the two pillars of Decent Work and Environmental Sustainability; Green jobs pursue the goal of full employment, decent work for all and a lowcarbon, environmentally friendly economy; Green Jobs = Decent Work that contributes to Environmental Sustainability (ES) Green Jobs are Decent Work

Green Economy

Green Jobs

Decent & safe work

RIO + 20 (UNCSD 2012) -- ILO focus:

Economically efficient, socially just, environmentally sound transition to a green economy Green jobs creation Framework for Just Transition Social protection in green economy policies Inclusion of workers & employers in governance and implementation

Shades of Green.

Impact of the transformation to a greener economy on jobs

New jobs will be created
Eg. Manufacturing of pollution control devices

Some jobs will be substituted

Eg. Shifting from fossil fuels to renewables

Eg. Jobs lost when packaging materials banned

Some jobs will be eliminated without direct replacement

Most jobs will be transformed

Eg. Skills sets, work methods and profiles of trades become more environmentally friendly

JUST TRANSITION

Green Jobs & Occupational Risks

Renewable Energy Waste Management Greening of traditional sectors

Solar Energy

Wind Energy

Hydropower

Bioenergy

WASTE MANAGEMENT & Recycling

WASTE MANAGEMENT & Recycling

Ship-breaking Over 100,000 workers in Asia, almost all untrained and unprotected in an environmentally damaging and hazardous industry.

Not Green Jobs !!

For decent work & environment related reasons

Recycling
Millions of workers in Asia involved in hazardous waste recycling (e-waste, lead and other heavy metals, etc.) in the informal sector.

OSH Risks in the Greening of Traditional Sectors

Construction & refurbishment

ILO Initiatives in the Philippines: Green Jobs

Just transition towards a low carbon, climate resilient, greener economy

Enterprise Level Initiative

GREENER BUSINESS BETTER WORKPLACE

Deepening Session: Healthy and Climate Resilient Workplace

Technopark Hotel, Sta. Rosa, Laguna March 7, 2012

At the end of the training-workshop the participants must be able to:

1. Identify climate change related hazards to the industrial facilities and human health 2. Prioritize risks to climate change related hazards 3. Formulate risk management plans based on results of risk assessment 4. Conduct hazard and operability analysis on supply chain to reduce risks and vulnerability to climate change related hazards

Course Outline
Climate Change Related Hazards - Hydro-Meteorological Hazard - Geo-hazard Risk Assessment - Risk Identification - Risk Analysis/ Characterization - Workshop on Risk Identification and Prioritization Emergency Preparedness and Response Hazard and Operability Analysis (HAZOP) on Supply Chain and Logistics - Workshop on HAZOP Risk Management Plan Development

The way ahead.

Green Jobs Resources: Green Jobs Communities of Practice (COP) portal: http://greenjobs-ap.ilobkk.org.th Email: pascual@ilo.org