hero missions

qpsu climate heroes
supported by acf

make a difference

It’s definitely been a busy few months for QPSU members across all agencies.

Members are continuing the Fight 4 Jobs campaign to hold the government to its commitments on wages and employment security.

Many of our Climate Heroes stepped up during our Green Jobs 4 Queensland campaign. Some heroes contacted their MPs to remind them about the importance of jobs in sustainable industries as a way of tackling the global economic crisis.

Your Mission 2 Kit outlines steps you can take right now to make sure climate change stays on the radar and remains everyone’s hot topic of conversation.

Want to know the very latest responses to climate change? It’s right here in this kit.

Importantly, it highlights some opportunities for Climate Heroes to get involved and make sure that we see effective and equitable climate action.

Step 1: Learn More

Your kit includes a document outlining the need to create Queensland jobs in sustainable industries right now. That’s vital if we are to tackle climate change and the global economic crisis. This is a good opportunity to learn a bit more about this plan for economic renewal and how it will deliver green collar jobs.

It’s easy to share and discuss these issues with your friends, family and colleagues.

It is clear that the current Queensland Government made some important announcements in response to our Green Jobs campaign before the state election.

The Government promised it will create a 3000-strong green army, reduce solar hot water costs, create green building codes and build a solar thermal plant in regional Queensland. Still much more must be done and as Climate Heroes we have to step up. Queensland could become a leader when it comes to creating new jobs and addressing climate change.

In this mission, Climate Heroes are supporting demands that more green collar jobs are created through:

• The setting of a new Queensland Renewable Energy Target
• Greater investment in Solar Thermal Plants
• New investment in public transport- build new buses & extensions to existing transport lines

Step 2: Update on Climate Change Action Debate

In this kit you will find a special document outlining what action is happening around the world to address climate change. Over the past 12 months our QPSU Climate Heroes have been improving sustainability in their workplaces, and arguing for greater action by our leaders to tackle climate change and make a real difference.

Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme

In December last year the Australian Government announced its plans for an Emissions Trading Scheme. On May 4, the Government announced some further changes to the scheme in response to criticism from business & environmentalists. The key changes opened the possibility of a 25% target in the event of an ambitious global deal. The changes also provide compensation to heavily polluting industries.

Senate Inquiry into this Bill

Currently, the Senate is investigating the effectiveness of this scheme in terms of reducing emissions and its impact on jobs.

USA Carbon Reduction Plan

This was proposed by leaders in the US House of Representatives. The plan proposes a carbon reduction target of 17% of 2005 levels by 2020.

Global Meeting on Climate Change

The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen will be held from December 7-December 18, 2009.

Step 3: Check Your Workplace Progress

Over the past 12 months our Climate Heroes have been talking with their colleagues and management about positive climate change initiatives and improvements that they can roll out across workplaces.

Last year we asked QPSU Climate Heroes to audit their workplaces. Now we have another opportunity to track your progress by conducting an audit.

In this kit you will find a new Workplace Climate Change Audit Checklist to help you assess your workplace if you haven’t already done so. It’s simple to run through the check list and ask your manager what your workplace is doing to reduce emissions and fight climate change. We’d like to hear your stories about sustainable changes you’ve made in your workplace. We’d also like to know what obstacles and challenges you have faced in achieving change.

You can share your stories right now by emailing climate@qpsu.org.au

Step 4: Climate Change and Collective Bargaining

At our Core EB Conference in March, union delegates agreed to push forward with a climate change initiative as part of our Log of Claims for the Queensland Government in Departments where we are bargaining this year.

Members are seeking the formation of joint union/management environment committees across agencies.

The claim seeks to ensure workers are recognized as an important part of any climate change strategy. It will also ensure they are not disadvantaged by any changes.

The committees would ensure workers have a say in any changes to work practices. Worker participation in any changes would ensure transparency and accountability as well as effective outcomes.

You can see the Core ’09 Log of Claims right now www.qpsu.org.au/core09.

If your agency isn’t bargaining this year you can still support and ask for these initiatives through your consultative committees like in Queensland Health at the DCF or District Consultative Forum.

Step 5: Talk to your MP

It’s vital that we take action to ensure our politicians continue to address Green Jobs. As Climate Heroes we need to continue talking to them about why workers believe it’s so important for politicians to think creatively and deliver plans that ensure green jobs that tackle climate change head-on. The state election’s just ended and it’s time we remind the politicians that their work has just begun. It’s the perfect time to remind them about this issue. This mission gives Climate Heroes a chance to demand that all politicians make green economic renewal their top priority. You can contact your local MP right now or you can share the link with your friends and colleagues - http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/view/legislativeAssembly/members_current.asp

Step 6: Earth Hour Recap

Congratulations to every Climate Hero who made a difference and switched off for Earth Hour at the end of March. In this mission we are providing our Climate Heroes with all the information needed to discuss the Earth Hour results with colleagues and friends. WWF estimates that Brisbane had the second highest participation rate in Australia.

According to WWF estimates, about 52% of Brisbane switched off for Earth Hour. Canberra won the day with an estimated 62% of our nation’s capital taking part. An impressive 88 countries took part in the event and 9 out of 10 of the world’s most populated cities took the plunge into darkness.

Still it’s going to take a lot more than Earth Hour to effectively tackle climate change. You can see videos of Earth Hour unfolding across our planet here: www.earthhour.org/home.

Step 7: World Environment Day

Climate Heroes are going global. Last year many Climate Heroes held lunches to signify World Environment Day.

This year’s World Environment Day signals the launch of the UN’s Climate Heroes initiative.

This is an opportunity to highlight to others just how important it is for people to act now and support local initiatives such as Tree Planting www.unep.org/wed/2009/english/content/climateheroes

Climate Heroes - Make a Difference!
Got an idea for new Green Jobs? Want to share your views about climate change?
Email
climate@qpsu.org.au