objectives: better understand the links between biodiversity protection and employment

SustainlabourInternational Labour Foundation

for Sustainable Development



Ecosystems, Economy and Employment:

A labour approach to biodiversity

Ana Belén Sánchez19 October 2012

COP 11- Hyderabad (India)



• Objectives:

- Better understand the links between biodiversity protection and employment

- Quantitative terms: employment impact of biodiversity protection and sustainable use of natural resources

- Qualitative terms: impacts on working conditions

- Experience of trade unions on this matter



Addressing multiple crisis

• Need to create new 600 million jobs over the next 10 years

• Improve low incomes of 900 million people living below poverty line

• But also 80 % don’t have access to social protection, increasing food insecurity…

• A quarter of plant species threatened with extinction

• Natural habitats continue to decline in extent and integrity

• But also climate change, desertification…• And of course, the economic crisis!



Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Report

• “Over the past 50 years, humans have changed ecosystems more rapidly and extensively than in any comparable period of time in human history, largely to meet rapidly growing demands for food, fresh water, timber, fibber and fuel.

• This has resulted in a substantial and largely irreversible loss in the diversity of life on Earth”



Interlinked crisis

• Ecosystem degradation due to:– Unsustainable farming practices– Infrastructure development– Unsustainable exploitation of natural resources– Pollution and invasive species

• As a result:– Food insecurity– Rise in poverty– Impacts on human health and wellbeing– Collapse of economic activities and jobs losses



Biodiversity and employmentAn unexplored link

• Increasing literature on Green Jobs• But, studies do not always reflect this link. • There is more information available on Climate

Change and Employment• Informed decisions are based on data and facts:

– how many jobs depend on our biodiversity and our ecosystems?

– How many jobs will be generated by protecting nature and ecosystems?

– What will be the social implications of these transformation?



Biodiversity and EmploymentA threefold relation

• 1/ Biodiversity and Ecosystems are the basis of a significant part of the economy

• A great number of jobs today depend on them.

• 2/ Biodiversity loss = job losses

• 3/ Green Jobs creation result of sustainable practices in ecosystems management



Links between Biodiversity and Employment



Highly dependent primary industries

Farming, forestry sector, fishing,

water supply

Biodiversity provide raw

materials

Biodiversity is the basis of

development in the sectors

Regulating ecosystem

services are needed for the

functioning

Biodiversity is the basis of production

of these sectors

36% jobs in developing countries

6,5% jobs in EU



Manufacturing industries dependent on inputs and processes

Energy supply, mining, food, drink and tobacco,

wood and paper, pharmaceuticals and

other production industries

Ecosystem services

essential for production

Biodiversity provision of

raw materials

Biodiversity products and ecosystem

services development

Ecosystem services

essential for processing

activities


17% jobs in EU



Service activities depedent on cultural services

Hotels, creative industries and

media, education

Part of activities of

these sectors depend on ecosystem

cultural services

Biodiversity provide some

of their raw materials

(such as food or others)


13 % jobs in EU



Service activities dependent on raw materials and fuel

Construction and transport

Activities which depend

on the provision of

some raw materials

from ecosystems

Activities which depend on the provision of

fuel from ecosystems


19% jobs in the EU



Indirect relationship: Other sectors

Other activities

Ecosystem services

needed for the maintenance

of human health

The essential services

provided by ecosystems

make working environment

and development of

these sectors possible

Ecosystem services needed for the

survival and the protection of people and properties from

natural disasters.

16% jobs in developing c.

45% jobs in EU



Some figures: jobs that depend on biodiversity and ecosystems

• Jobs directly related to biodiversity:– In the EU 14.6 million jobs, 7%of the labour market– In developing countries, 927 million, 35% of their

labour market• Jobs with a direct link with ecosystem services:

– 112 mill jobs in EU, 48% of LM– 1298 mill in developing countries, 49% of LM

• Jobs indirectly dependent on ecosystem services:– 104 mill jobs in the European Union, 45% LM– 413 mill jobs in developing countries,16% LM



New jobs to protect the Planet’s biodiversity

• New decent and green jobs, much needed in the current deep unemployment crisis.

• Biodiversity-friendly sectors are in most cases more labour intensive that the unsustainable ones.

• Positive impact on quality of work in some sectors. While, in other cases ad-hoc policies are needed.

• Close linked with poverty!



Biodiversity and poverty: GDP of the poor



Agriculture

– Unsustainable practices have resulted in low-quality and low-income jobs.

– The sector represent 70% of child labour– Workers have twice as likely to die at work as

those in other sectors– Death to exposure of dangerous chemical

products– Organic farming: creates a third more

employment than non-organic farming and reduce exposure to chemicals.



Forest

• Biodiversity-friendly forest sector:– Additional jobs: up to 10 mill new jobs– Eradication of forced labour– Less fires

• Measures to be implemented– eradicating illegal logging– Providing training to workers on sustainable

management– Improving working conditions– Establishing protected forest areas– Reforestation with native species– Clean-up work in forest areas



Fishing

• Fishing essential to the survival and food security of 200 mill people

• Now: 30% global stocks are over-exploited. 88 % at the EU- 45% outside safe biological limits.

• Opportunities of biodiversity-friendly fishing: – New jobs: 100,000 only in Europe (inc. 28%)– Transformation of the sectors: companies and

workers: need for a Just Transition framework



Tourism

• Represent 8% of global employment and is expected to grow

• Precarious working conditions: low salary, long hours, informal economy.

• A significant part of the sector is highly dependent of biodiversity and ecosystems

• Eco-tourism: – Major source of local employment– Impacts of tourism infrastructure and facilities would

not destruct natural habitats, create water pollution and waste would be managed…



Water resource management

• One of the sectors most dependant on biodiversity: high correlation between global areas with biodiversity under threat and areas with water security is at risk.

• Options:– Increase water use efficiency– Reduce pressure of underground sources– Reform water policies, promoting water saving– Reform water governance. Role of public sector



Transitional challenge

• Protecting biodiversity might have an immediate impact on jobs: limitation on unsustainable fishing

• Different impact for companies than for workers: substitution and relocation to alternative options vs workers facing limited options.

• Just Transition Framework(s) needed



Participation by workers

• Awareness of workers and TUs have increased in recent years.

• Some pioneering experiences:– Malaysian hotel workers have been trained in

sustainable management of hotel facilities– Greek tourism union has introduced environmental

clauses in collective agreement– Amazonian forest workers participate in forest

certification initiatives– Public sector unions carry out an intense campaign to

achieve sustainable, public management of water.– Others: France, Brazil, Belgium…



Trade Union have committed in the area of biodiversity to:

• Promote regulation and public administration strategies• Demand a new production model which conserves

biological diversity• Demand the inclusion of the biodiversity variable in

public and private policies• Fight of funding for biod policies• Demand the protection of ecosystems and manage them

with local communities eng.• Demand land use and urban development policies

incorporate biodiv variable• Promote alliance with other stakeholders with same obj



Thanks for your attention!

www.sustainlabour.org

objectives: better understand the links between biodiversity protection and employment

Documents

biodiversity loss

jobs lossesbiodiversity

functioning biodiversity

water supply biodiversity

green jobs creation

ecosystems managementlinks

economya great number

food insecurityrise