A 50-person one-day Trade Union Climate Summit will convene in New York City on June 29th at 32BJ, located at 25 W. 18th St.

Pre-register now by emailing Elena Mora at elena.mora@cuny.edu

Why a summit? In December 2015, the “last chance” UN climate talks (COP 21) will take place in Paris. But the prospects of an effective agreement are poor. The climate movement is presently making plans are for a major people’s mobilization to coincide with the Paris meeting.

The summit will bring together unions from the U.S. and around the world for a day of discussion on the Paris talks; how to support the actions being planned on the ground; and how unions can engage in the fight for climate justice over the longer term.

Union leaders and staff working on climate change will attend the summit. Representatives and leaders from  Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Greece, India, Italy, Norway, Korea, Peru, the Philippines, Spain and the United States have already confirmed.

One of the goals of the summit is to help further develop a progressive U.S. trade union climate protection agenda that is independent, science-based, economically transformative and capable of moving union members into action.

The summit will be organized in the form of two consecutive discussions, morning and afternoon, round-table style.

• The first discussion will provide space for union leaders and staff from outside North America. The main goal of this discussion will be to hear how unions in different countries and regions are building support for climate action, engaging members, and relating to governments and other movements.

• The second discussion will address North America (specifically the U.S. and Canada). Here we will focus on how the coal, oil and gas industries are trying to enlist labor in their full-force campaign to develop tar sands, fracking, and coal and gas export terminals. The main goal of this session is to further elaborate a counter narrative for labor based on independence (from the industry), internationalism, science, and economic transformation over the longer term.

2015 will be a critical year for the planet and its people.  Let us help make history by working to protect our common future.

Full program and list of participants to follow.