ILO at COP21 in Paris

ILO at COP21, December 3
Climate change and employment and just transition issues
Raymond Torres, Director of the ILO’s Research Department, discussing the labour market implications of transitioning to a low carbon economy at an event hosted by the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy. Mr. Torres highlighted the central importance of social dialogue for the development and implementation of climate policies, and the need to identify and anticipate the skill needs for a low-carbon economy.


ILO at COP21, December 5
TRANSFORM // Transform our Productive Systems
Gilbert Houngbo, ILO’s Deputy Director-General for Field Operations and Partnership, giving a keynote presentation at COP21 Action Day. Mr. Houngbo introduced several ILO decent work and climate change solutions and discussed the ILO’s role in building skills for green jobs and climate change adaptation, implementing post-disaster employment programmes and providing social protection. He stressed the need for social dialogue, social inclusion, equity and fairness in climate change response measures.


ILO at COP21, December 7
The mobilisation of territories to accompany the evolution of jobs and skills for the energy transition
Kees van der Ree, ILO Green Jobs Programme, presented various ILO initiatives for upgrading skills for green jobs in emerging and developing countries (most notably the Zambia Green Jobs Programme ), complementing French panellists who discussed local level public-private partnerships in the building sector and participatory planning for green local development.


ILO at COP21, December 7
Youth, climate change and jobs
Moustapha Kamal Gueye, ILO Green Jobs programme, discussed the findings of a recent survey on youth, climate change and jobs covering 12 major economies. He highlighted that the survey results indicate that 85 per cent of youth are optimistic that climate action will yield higher employment opportunities in their countries.


ILO at COP21, December 8
Director-General Meeting with Trade Union Delegations
ILO’s Director-General met with trade union representatives to exchange views and perspectives on labour issues as related to the climate change agenda, also addressing questions on decent work and just transition in the context of the Paris negotiations. The Director-General commended the trade unions for their engagement in COP21 and for their role in drawing attention to decent work, rights and social justice in the climate negotiations. He expressed ILO’s support and willingness to continue to work with unions on the follow-ups to the Paris outcomes.


ILO at COP21, December 8
Climate Innovators: Empowering a Global Generation of Young People
ILO Director-General speaking at a side event co-hosted by UNFPA, the ILO and other UN agencies. He called on governments, workers and employers worldwide to build on the existing areas of youth training and education in order to unleash the potential for creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship and enable young people to best serve the needs of their communities and the planet.


ILO at COP21, December 8
Africa Day ILO Director-General addressing COP 21 on Africa Day
He highlighted the importance of accounting the social and labour dimensions of the implementation of national climate change contributions (INDCs) and invited African countries to build on social dialogue and tripartite engagement of governments, workers and employers’ organization for effective implementation of the Paris outcomes.


ILO at COP21, December 9
Director-General Meeting with Business Delegations
ILO’s Director-General met with Business and Industry NGO (BINGO) representatives to exchange views and perspectives on the role of businesses and the private sector in the climate agenda. The Director-General noted that effective responses to climate change depend on the involvement of enterprises and the private sector. It was agreed that businesses can and must play their role in advancing labour and climate goals, and that collaboration with the ILO will be crucial going forward.


ILO at COP21, December 9
Skills and human capital development for green growth, green jobs and climate adaptation in Africa
ILO Director-General speaking at an event co-organized by the African Development Bank and the ILO. He stressed that with education, technical skills and support for business development, thousands of young African women and men can become business leaders that will drive the clean energy revolution, transform agriculture and bring about the green innovation is needed for climate change solutions.


ILO at COP21, December 9
Greening skills and jobs for COP21 and the post2015 Transformation
Peter Poschen, Director ILO’s Brasilia Office, speaking at a Conference co-hosted by the ILO and French development partners. Mr. Poschen discussed how to manage the jobs and skills transformation necessary for the transition to low-carbon economies and societies. He described potential and existing green jobs and discussed the specialized skills gap that impedes development projects in, for example, China and India.


ILO at COP21, December 10
Human mobility and climate change
Michelle Leighton, ILO Migrant Branch, discussed labour migration at joint UN event Human mobility and climate change. She highlighted the importance of articulating labour market policies that would ensure that migrant workers are adequately integrated into host countries. She called attention to the complexities of policies relating to climate change, labour and migration and the need for coordinated approaches.


ILO Delegation at COP21
(from left to right): Cyril Cosme, Director, ILO Office for France, Paris - Ana Belen Sanchez, Advisor, Green Jobs Programme - Frédérique Dupuy, ILO Office for France, Paris - Guy Ryder, ILO Director-General - Kees Van Der Ree, Coordinator, Green Jobs Programme - Peter Poschen, Director, ILO Office for Brasil, Brasilia -  James Howard, Senior Advisor, Office of the Director-General - Moustapha Kamal Gueye, Policy Specialist, Green Jobs Programme.