The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) will tomorrow (Friday 15th February) hold an important conference on Climate Change and the Scottish Workplace. The Conference will consider the potential impact of climate change on:
Employment in Scotland: opportunities and threats; The Scottish workplace: work organisation, job design and change management; The regulatory framework: the changing relationship between government and business; and, Skills: the generic and specific skills required to sustain and grow employment.
Grahame Smith, General Secretary, STUC said,
“The STUC is excited about this conference. Government, trade unions and other stakeholders need to start building a better understanding of how climate change will impact on the working lives of the people of Scotland. This will not only involve building a better understanding of the employment opportunities and threats but also of the potential changes to workplace organisation and job design. We hope this conference kick starts a quality debate about these issues”.
John Swinney MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth said: “Climate change is widely recognised as one of the most serious threats facing the world today. Unchecked, carbon emissions will have serious global consequences and will eventually damage our economic growth and threaten employment opportunities. That is why this government wants Scotland to be at the forefront of global action. “However, tackling climate change can also offer clear and tangible benefits to Scotland, bringing new jobs, cost savings and opportunities for sustainable economic growth. There are significant opportunities from the switch to a low carbon economy across a wide range of industries and services. Markets for low carbon energy products are likely to be worth $500 billion per annum by 2050. With its wealth of research skills, skilled labour force and wealth of natural resources, Scotland is well placed to take full advantage of these opportunities. “The STUC is a crucial stakeholder in the delivery of our priorities for Scotland – including our ambition to achieve higher sustainable economic growth. Our Government Economic Strategy, Scottish Budget and proposed Scottish Climate Change Bill will help to provide that framework. However, our future prosperity as a nation depends on everyone playing their part – as workers, consumers, volunteers and business people. “I am confident that Government, business and all of the people of Scotland are ready to rise to the challenge of climate change.” ENDS
Notes
The Conference takes place between 0930-1600hrs on Friday 15th February 2008 in the Lighthouse, Scotland’s Centre for Architecture and Design, Mitchell Lane, Glasgow.
Speakers include:
John Swinney MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth
David Martin MEP, member of the European Parliament’s Temporary Climate Change Committee
Maf Smith, Director, Sustainable Development Commission Scotland
Simon Baker, Lewis Windpower & John Price, AMEC Wind
Liz Bogie, Senior Manager, Sustainable Development, Scottish Enterprise
Paul Noon, General Secretary, PROSPECT
Brendan Dick, BT Scotland Alan Barclay, Governance Director UK and Europe, Diageo
Duncan McLaren, Chief Executive, Friends of the Earth Scotland
The event will conclude with an MSP Panel:
Alex Neil MSP, SNP
Hugh O’Donnell, Lib Dems
Patrick Harvie, MSP, Green Party
David Stewart, MSP, Labour
Bill Aitken MSP, Conservative Party
For further information contact
Stephen Boyd 0141 337 8100