Climate Change and Labor -- http://www.climate-l.org/2008/05/g8-labor-and-em.html

"G8 Labor and Employment Ministers Address Employment and Social Challenges Related to Climate Change"

Climate change is inevitable. With the amount of carbon emitting sources out there -- there is no argument that our climate is changing, which will have adverse and dangerous affects on human species and the planet if we don't act quickly and curb the carbon emitting producers. The carbon trading scheme, and the tax incentives put into place are the first step in the right direction. But with this new movement comes a lot of questions.

1. What happens to the jobs of people in the "ditry" industries such as coal, oil, biofuels, agriculture (livestock emissions), etc. when these industries start getting taxed heavily based on their carbon emissions? Will they remain competitive, productive?

2. How do these companies survive with the new carbon trading themes. By simply thinking about Revenue and Costs -- how do these "dirty" producers comply with the carbon trading scheme if they are the most aggressive culprits of carbon emissions? Will the high taxes just wean these producers out of the market? Capital costs are high as it is. And what if there isnt enough trading to go around. In terms of trading - is all carbon counted the same all over the world? What sort of approvals are needed to make the carbon emission trading scheme fair?

3. What happens when there is a lesser need for employees, and new business and development in these industries? Do these workers retire - or do we give them training for new green jobs?

4. Who is going to pay for these new skills? If workers are mid age or near retirement, are they going to be compensated for lost work in their current industries or do they have no choice but to learn new skills?

5. Given the new policies, who is going to be in charge of making sure all of these companies abide by the new rules? What sort of enforcement or regulatory agency is going to be responsible for "trying" any firms that do not comply?

These are just a few of my questions -- but its something to think about. Changing the way our world acts towards the planet and curbing carbon emissions and other practices that are destructive for the Earth is a wonderful plan. But we need to think past the plan and get into the specifics. How should labor unions react to the evolving green job market?