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Blog #3 - Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Byrd from Copenhagen
Two days left in the conference, and the negotiations among the governments are proceeding at a high level, around the clock, and mostly behind closed doors. Tensions are high, and the pace of demonstrations and arrests has picked up outside the Center. Everyone worries that deep differences dividing the governments will block a deal. Though many of us were able to get into the Bella Center yesterday morning, today only nine of our labor delegates (out of 320) will be allowed in. Total NGO delegates – out of the approximately 15,000 registered – will be only 90 tomorrow, the final day of the conference.
Yesterday a group of about 20 of us from the US labor delegation met with staff representing Congressional leaders working on climate policy. Staff from Congressman Blumenauer’s and Senator Merkley’s offices were part of the discussion.
The representatives reported on the progress of treaty negotiations, and the positions of the US delegation on issues of concern to labor. One major focus of their report relates to a problem we’ve talked about in Oregon – “leakage” of both carbon emissions and jobs when companies close their doors in our state and move elsewhere to escape strong labor and environmental standards. “Leakage” undermines the goals of carbon reduction as well as economic stability; the Oregon AFL-CIO and Oregon Apollo Alliance have both been exploring ways to prevent it.
One “fix” that’s been proposed is border adjustments – adding a tax to the price of imported goods, so that the cost of the goods in our state reflects the cost of carbon emitted in the production process. This kind of border measure would level the playing field for manufacturers of paper products, steel and related goods in the manufacturing sector. It is opposed by many developing nations, as well as by international free trade advocates.
Congressional staff at our meeting assured us that the US would not sign off on a treaty that limits our ability to use border measures to protect domestic production. Their assurance was greeted with thanks from the Steelworkers union leaders and others in the room. They also asked for labor’s support on domestic climate legislation pending in the Senate, and asked us to help educate other union members about the urgency of the legislation. A number of union leaders present spoke up in support of this effort.
Later in the day we joined several thousand delegates to hear Senator John Kerry address the status of the negotiations. Recalling his 17-year involvement in UN climate work, the Senator reminded the crowd of the urgency of the science: “If Dick Cheney can argue that even a 1% chance of a terrorist attack justifies an all-out effort to fight terrorism, then surely a scientific near-certainty of global warming should justify action on climate change.” He also recalled that during most of those 17 years, the US has “delayed, divided and denied. This time, an American President is coming to recommit the US to being part of the solution”.
Still, there are huge differences dividing nations from each other. The US and China are particularly far apart. But labor folks know how negotiations go – it’s always touch-and-go just before the contract expires and an agreement is reached. Everyone here is keeping their fingers crossed that we can at least get to a political deal, if not yet a legally binding one.
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