This year's UN Climate Change Conference (COP-14) in Poznan, Poland comes at a critical time for working people (especially young workers) in Canada and throughout the world.
The international community's inability to take coordinated and meaningful action to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions is pushing us closer and closer to catastrophe. Already we are seeing the impact of climate change on the economy and many societies. At the same time as we stare down this global climate crisis, we face a financial market meltdown that has brought to light the inherent flaws in our financial system, networks of global capital, free trade agreements and other free-market mechanisms.
Without a doubt, COP-14 is situated at the crossroads of these two major crises. How the international community frames and responds to these environmental and economic challenges over the coming weeks will provide a clearer picture of the path that international climate policy will take for years to come. This is especially important as the Poznan conference is considered a major stepping stone on the path toward a new (post-Kyoto) international climate agreement on long-term cooperative action that will be established in 2009.
For young people, the future will be shaped by the important decisions made today. This is why the Canadian Youth Delegation will play such a critical role at COP-14 in Poznan bringing the voice of young Canadians forward. Just like it has done in previous years (at COP-11 in Montreal, COP-12 in Nairobi and COP-13 in Bali).
For the first time CAW members will be actively involved in the CYD (which is made up of a diverse group of 26 young leaders from across the country - check out the delegation here) - including young members Steven El-Helou (CAW Local 444, Windsor) and Stephan Cronin (CAW Local 88, Ingersoll). The delegation also includes representatives from the environmental movement and student communities.
Through this blog I hope to capture many of the highlights and key developments on climate policy at this year's conference and share them with you. It's a jam-packed agenda that includes policy and media work as well as on-the-ground activism... lots of activism!
Personally, I've never been involved in anything of this magnitude before (this is also my first blogging effort), so when I say I'm overwhelmed that's clearly an understatement!!
However, I can't hide the excitement in knowing that I'll have an opportunity to liaise and network with young people from all over the world, and to build contacts with other labour union delegations and Global Union Federations.
I hope that you'll join me on this journey to Poznan by following this blog. I welcome any comments, questions or feedback along the way. Check back often for new posts, pictures and (hopefully) video feeds for what promises to be a showcase of young worker activism.
Not only is the goal to help bring the voice of young workers to the table on the development of climate policy, but to illustrate the passion and energy through which young people have mobilized on this issue and the urgency in their message.
