COP 14
COP 14, the "midway point" between COP 13 in Bali and the highly anticipated COP 15 in Copenhagen, took place in Poznan, Poland from December 1-12, 2008 as part of a two year process for developing a new international climate change agreement to succeed the Kyoto Protocol post 2012. More than 100 trade unionists from around the world participated at the COP and for the second year in a row, the Cornell Global Labor Institute helped to organize the participation of the US and Canadian delegates. The 20 US and Canadian representatives came from the AFL-CIO, SEIU, Boilermakers, IUE-CWA, Steelworkers, Mineworkers, Transport Workers, Utility Workers, IBEW, AFSCME, Amalgamated Transit Union and United Farm Workers.
In preparation for the negotiations, the Cornell GLI organized a special Labor Leaders Climate Forum with the AFL-CIO on November 21, 2008. Speakers included: David McIntosh, former staffer for Senator Lieberman and author of the Lieberman-Warner Climate Bill; Thea Lee, AFL-CIO; Abe Breehey, Boilermakers; Jeremy Symons, National Wildlife Federation; and Makr Helke, Senior Staffer for Senator Lugar. The afternoon session consisted of a working meeting with the US labor delegation and included an overview of the major issues in the UN negotiatons.
During the two weeks in Poznan, US union delegates participated in trainings on climate and the Kyoto negotiations, met with US government delegates, organized side events, participated on panels, strategized with NGOs and intervened in the full sessions.