Green jobs and privatization don't mix

The impact of environmental degradation and the necessary transformation of the world of work to preserve our environmental legacy will be enormous. Governments, workers and employers have the responsibility to drive the change and avoid being passive actors of the transition. Thus, the Conference will be an opportunity to discuss the challenges that the world of work is facing as a consequence of environmental degradation, as well as our union proposals to promote green and decent jobs within a Just Transition.

For Public Services International, this agenda item is of particular interest. The right to water and the fight against its privatization is one of PSI’s biggest battles. We want to make sure that green jobs do not go hand in hand with privatization of water and energy – which surely will lead to further degradation of our environment, services and employment in these essential services for human kind. All too often, green jobs are supposed to be created in so-called public-private partnerships models, that typically benefit private interests with public funding. Those are not the green jobs that PSI envisages as a solution to our environmental problems.

PSI stands for sustainable development that goes hand in hand with public management of our natural resources.

For more information: PSI on the Green Economy