One Million Climate Jobs Now!

The Campaign against Climate Change is demanding one million climate jobs, by the end of 2010, or within one year. This is one of the most important of our CLIMATE EMERGENCY demands - see more here.

This is a massively ambitious goal, we agree and at first sight it will look unrealistic to many. But we are facing an emergency and we need to start making the seemingly impossible - possible. What we are really talking about is a massive effort to transform the economy, along the lines, and on the scale, of what has peviously been acheived in war time - in the US, for instance, in 1941 when  car factories were transformed into tank factories inside a few months - and when the whole economy was turned around to concentrate soley on producing materials for the war effort in a very short time. We need something similar but this time it will be an economy focussed on preventing catstrophic climate change rather than on waging war - and we will concentrate on achieveing a low or zero carbon economy as soon as possible. This will need a lot of work done in a very short time and this will neccessarily mean jobs - lots of jobs.

Many in government will tell you we need to be making cuts - but the lesson of previous recessions is that it was not cuts but well targeted spending than lifted us out of recession. We need a massive investment in a green economy - and the planet we live on - now !

The Campaign against Climate Change Trade Union group is sponsoring an academically researched report on how these million climate jobs can be created. This will appear later in the year but for now there is an interim pamphlet explaining the basic approach - see below.

 One Million Green Jobs Pamphlet

We face the threat of runaway climate change. To avoid that, we need a massive programme to produce renewable energy, renovate our buildings, and provide world class public transport. The Campaign against Climate Change has published a pamphlet making the case for one million green jobs to be created in the UK, featuring contributions from leading trade unionists and green campaigners.

The pamphlet can be downloaded free of charge from the PCS website or ordered as a hard copy (see pricing and payment details below).

Green Jobs and the Green Energy Revolution: is the government doing enough?

A Public Meeting on Monday, 7th September 2009, in Conway Hall, London. Speakers included:

Bob Crow (General Secretary of the RMT - National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers)
Ann Pettifor (advisor Operation Noah, fellow New Economics Foundation )
Ian Terry (worker from the Vestas wind turbine factory)
Phil Thornhill (Campaign against Climate Change)

The panel and audience discussed the UK's future direction in the era of Climate Emergency - are we moving full steam ahead towards Green Jobs and the Green Energy Revolution at a speed that we can and should?

To the question "Is the government doing enough?" the answer from the panel and the audience was a resounding NO! Phil Thornhill outlined the latest science that makes clear the need for urgent action and put forward CCC's bold demands to the government for 1 million Green Jobs by 2010. An articulate Ann Pettifor countered arguments that the government could not afford to invest in green industry and put a strong, positive case for a huge financial stimulus package for Green Jobs.

It was great to hear from Bob Crow how the RMT are pursuing the Vestas campaign with a motion at the next TUC, and that they are continuing to call for Green Jobs and investment in public transport and all forms of green energy. Quote of the evening also goes to Bob Crow for saying he couldn’t care less where a wind turbine is built in the UK so long as they get built! Ian Terry was a great hit with the audience, sharing the background of the Vestas struggle and where next for them (see Day of Action info below).

The meeting was a fantastic opportunity to bring Trade Unionists and the Labour movement together with Greens and climate campaigners. CCC is going to continue to find common ground between these groups and where they can come together to put pressure on the government for real and urgent action when it comes to Green Jobs and the Climate Emergency.

The meeting also came as part of the build up to the next  "Save Vestas" National Day of Action on Thursday 17th September. Jonathan Neale from the CCC Trade Union group explains further and gives some advice on how to build for the day here.

VESTAS: Day of Action, 12th August

More photos from our demo here.
On Friday the 7th August the bailiffs went in and the occupation of the Vestas wind turbine plant on the Isle of Wight ended. In response to this a National Day of Action in support of the Vestas workers and to keep the factory open, for Green Jobs and a Green Energy Revolution,  was declared.  There were actions all around the country organised by a diverse range of groups. See here or here (right hand column, scroll down to "Upcoming Solidarity Actions and Meetings"). In London there was a rally outside the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), No. 3 Whitehall Place at 6.30pm (see picture).

The campaign continues with another, bigger,  Day of Action to Save Vestas on 17th September (note change of date from 9th)

Plus - you can sign the UNITE/FOE petition to Save Vestas here. You can download our Vestas flier from our Leaflets page. Please print it and distribute it!

The campaign to Save Vestas has not finished, it has just started and with it comes a campaign for a step change in the creation of Green Jobs and the Green Energy Revolution!

Isle of Wight Vestas Rally, 8th August

Saturday 8th August

On the march - Save Vestas Rally, Newport, 8th August

Around 300 people attended the 'Save Vestas' Rally in Newport on the Isle of Wight. The crowd cheered workers who just the day before had ended their occupation of the factory as the bailiffs were sent in. The message was clear that the 'the fight goes on'.

The rally was followed by a march back to the Vestas factory in an industial estate on the outskirts of Newport. On the way someone hatched a 'cunning plan' and instead of going to the front of the plant, the march entered the factory premises by the back gate so that protestors were able to gather round the main entrance inside the security fence and very volubly deliver their demands there.

Meanwhile the small encampment on the 'magic roundabout' outside the plant remains, plans were made for pickets etc...  the Save Vestas campaign goes on!

Sign the UNITE/FOE petition to Save Vestas here.

London Vestas Rally

Thursday 6th August at 6.30pm

Outside the Dept. of Energy and Climate Change, 3 Whitehall Place.

Michael Meacher MP (see left) spoke at a rally in support of the beleaguered workers occupying the Vestas factory - and demanding the government match its words - on Green Jobs and the Green Energy Revolution - with action. Other speakers included trade unionists Billy Hayes, General Secretary of the CWU and Alex Gordon from the RMT,  Jenny Jones, GLA member from the Green party, Michael from the Isle of Wight Vestas factory and Phil Thornhill from the Campaign against Climate Change.

Photos from the event here.

Demonstrators braved the rain to hear a great line up of speakers. Luckily we just about managed to finish before the real downpour started!

Just when we need a huge expansion in renewable energy they are closing down one of the two wind turbine factories in the UK. The government has spent billions bailing out the banks, and £2.3 billion in loan guarantees to support the UK car industry – they can and should step in to save the infrastructure we are really going to need to save us from climate catastrophe.

Isle of Wight "VESTIVAL"!

On the weekend of 1st to 2nd August a "VESTIVAL" was held on the Isle of Wight. Supporters of  the Vestas occupation - environmental activists, trade unionists and others - gathered at the Vestas factory near Newport to demand  the factory stay open and  for more wind power and a green energy revolution! For Green jobs and for a prosperous Isle of Wight economy!

There was a march and rally of 200 or so in Newport, starting at St Thomas's Square at 1.00pm on the Saturday. On the Sunday there was 'kids and family' day at the sight of the protestor's encampment outside the factory. A multitude of tents are crammed toegther onto a traffic island outside the plant (now dubbed "the magic roundabout") - with 'climate camp' veterans mixing with RMT trade unionists and others.

Folk band Seize The Day made a song about the occupation called "Boys on the Balcony" which you can listen to in the player below, or download here.

Rally in Newport, Isle of Wight, Wednesday 29th

The 'Vestival' was being promoted  as an alternative to the Big Green Gathering, which was cancelled this week.See Guardian Article here :
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2009/jul/29/big-green-gathering-vestival)

At the Vestas occupation

2nd LONDON SAVE VESTAS RALLY

Tuesday 28th July at 6:30pm

A second lively rally was held outside Ed Miliband's Department of Energy and Climate Change on the eve of the case to take out an injunction to evict the occupiers going to court in Newport on the Isle of Wight.  There was also a big demonstration of several hundreds outside Newport County Court itself at 10.00 am on the following Wednesday morning. See video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdC3SOttYCw

The London Rally was called jointly by the Campaign against Climate Change and the RMT (National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers). Speakers at the Rally included Jean Lambert MEP (Green Party), Oliver New from the RMT,  Phil Thornhill from the Campaign agianst Climate Change, Drew Scanlon from the Vestas workers and  Dave Timms from Friends of the Earth.

On Friday 24th July there was a public meeting in London. Speakers included Chris Baugh (PCS assistant general secretary), Seamus Milne (Guardian journalist), Jonathan Neale (Campaign against Climate Change), and Matt (Vestas worker).

Read and sign our open letter to Ed Miliband

Help the Vestas factory occupation

Save Vestas wind turbine factory!

Simon Hughes MP addresses demo

Around 200 people gathered outside DECC (Ed Miliband's Department of Energy and Climate Change) to protest against the government's failure to save the Vestas wind turbine factory on the isle of Wight. See photo gallery.

Speakers included Simon Hughes MP - Lib Dem shadow spokesperson for Energy and Climate Change - Darren Johnson Chair of the GLA (Green Party), and also representatives from Unison, PCS and other unions . In a lively 'old style' poltical rally many views were expressed but all called on the government to save Vestas and promote wind energy projects in the UK.

Just when we need a huge expansion in renewable energy they are closing down one of the two wind turbine factories in the UK. The government has spent billions bailing out the banks, and £2.3 billion in loan guarantees to support the UK car industry – they can and should step in to save the infrastructure we are really going to need to save us from climate catastrophe.

Save Vestas blog. New petition.

Media coverage

Indymedia report of the demo
Report on EDIE website
Channel 4 News with footage from factory at Newport and demo outside DECC in London

START OF THE OCCUPATION, Tuesday 21st July

The Campaign against Climate Change was on the site in Newport from the night the occupation started.

Photo from the first full day of the occupation. More cameraphone photos here

Sign the UNITE/FOE Petition to Save Vestas here.

Sign the Downing Street Petition to Save Vestas here.

GREEN JOBS NOW

To prevent a global climate catastrophe we need to do very big things very fast.  Most of all we need to decarbonise our economy as rapidly as we possibly can. That means a Green Energy Revolution, whereby we switch to renewable sources of energy as fast as we can as well as an energy efficiency revolution. It means crash emergency programs to insulate the existing housing stock as well as a far higher standard of insulation for new  build.  It means a radical upgrading of public transport to take people out of aeroplanes  and out of motor cars.   These are all very big changes we need to make very fast and  we will need the people to make them. That means Green Jobs.  That means a lot of Green Jobs very quickly.

We need to do this for the sake of our own survival but if money is being spent on ‘economic  recovery’ then we need to make absolutely sure that it is being spent on ‘ecological recovery’ at the same time. There is no point in rescuing the economy if increased economic activity increases the level of emissions and destabilises the global climate that we – and the economy  - depend on. Investment in Green Jobs will boost the economy and save us from catastrophic climate change at the same time.