Energy Emergency

Developing Trade Union Strategies for a Global Transition

Date: October 10 – 12, 2012
Location: Carpenters Union, 395 Hudson Street, New York City

Energy Emergency, Energy Transition was an international roundtable to develop trade union strategies for a global transition to a democratic energy system, or “energy democracy.”

The round table explored the current and future state of the global energy system with a focus on three themes: decent work and labor protections, CO2 emissions and environmental sustainability, and energy access and equity.

The goals of this round table were to:

• Share experiences across international trade unions about the current state of the energy system, and the impact it is having on workers, communities, and the environment.
• Develop trade union strategies for an energy transition based on important social and environmental priorities, including decent work and full workers’ rights, democratic control, low-carbon emissions, environmental sustainability, and equitable access to energy.
• Consider different “energy transition” approaches at the level of policy, membership engagement, organizing and movement building.

For more information about the roundtable event and the Energy Democracy Initiative project, visit the roundtable website.