The need for a shift to a low-carbon economy to address the climate emergency is no longer in doubt. How can this shift be a win-win for everyone?
Ecological, fair, equitable, low carbon… There is not just one, but many transitions, depending on the qualifier attached to it. “In the analysis of environmental discourse, we speak of a questionable concept: it is recognized by all the actors in the debate on the climate crisis, including institutions, but no one gives it the same definition”, explains René Audet, professor in the Department of Strategy , social and environmental responsibility from the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM) and environmental sociologist.
However, the vast majority agree that the global energy system must be transformed to make the transition a success, that is, to achieve the objectives set by the Paris Agreement. Currently, unsustainable fuels provide about 80% of the energy on the planet. “In its latest report, the IPCC points out that we have room for maneuver (a budget, in a way) of around 500 Gt of CO2 to hopefully limit warming to 1.5°C. However, fossil fuel infrastructure around the world is expected to emit some 650 Gt of CO2 until they are decommissioned in the coming decades,” says Colin Pratte, associate researcher at the Institute for Socioeconomic Research and Information (IRIS).
This effective explosion of humanity’s carbon budget is rich in implications. Not only should there be a moratorium on all new coal, natural gas and oil mining projects, according to the researcher, but existing “fossil” infrastructure should also be dismantled. How to negotiate this shift while minimizing the collateral damage inflicted on the communities that will inevitably be affected? Here are three possible solutions.
1. Involve workers
The International Labor Organization (ILO), a specialized agency of the UN, estimates that climate change will cause the loss of 80 million jobs by 2030. The energy sector, in particular mining petroleum and refining, will be mainly concerned. “Do you work at Énergir? A possible drop in the use of natural gas may threaten your livelihood, ”illustrates Yvan Duceppe, treasurer of the Confederation of National Trade Unions (CSN) – which represents workers at the Quebec gas distribution company. natural — and responsible for the environmental dossier.
But there is hope: the ILO also predicts that the energy transition could create more and better jobs, among others in the renewable energy sector, with a potential of 18 million jobs net of here 2030. Provided that ambitious measures are taken in this direction. “It is a question of training and retraining policies supported by substantial budgets”, underlines the trade unionist, citing the case of car mechanics who will have to update their knowledge to repair electric-powered vehicles.
“The various levels of government must allow employers and workers to participate in decision-making alongside them,” insists Mr. Duceppe. This social dialogue is, according to him, the keystone for reconciling economic and social objectives with environmental concerns.
2. Take negative externalities into account
A little more than 50% of Québec’s energy needs are met by fossil fuels, oil and natural gas in the lead. The transport sector is particularly fond of it; it was responsible for 43% of the province’s total greenhouse gas emissions in 2019. Road transport alone even accounts for nearly 80% of emissions from the transport sector, or 34% of total GHG emissions. This is why the Quebec government is making the electrification of transportation an absolute priority. “Betting only on this workhorse is dangerous”, however warns Colin Pratte. Because this project requires significant mining, which can generate conflicts between industry, ecosystems and communities.
The saga of the Horne foundry in Rouyn-Noranda, which made headlines this summer because of the contaminants released by the plant, is a good illustration of these tensions. As a reminder: the company owned by the multinational Glencore is one of the world’s main producers of copper… one of the precious metals used in the manufacture of electric car batteries. “We must take into account all the social and ecological consequences behind the measures taken in the name of energy transition,” says Colin Pratte.
3. Make systemic changes
Several of the measures proposed to accelerate the energy transition put the responsibility on the shoulders of individuals rather than the collective. This burden is heavy for those who are forced to use polluting means — the gas-powered car, for example — to go about their business, for lack of being able to obtain more satisfactory solutions.
“The dominant discourse of changes in individual behavior maintains the status quo. It’s as if we were designating consumption as the main culprit: if we pollute so much, it’s because the consumer wants more”, deplores René Audet. The main thing absent from this analysis is, according to him, production. “We have to think about the resources we are exploiting, for example by reintegrating economic planning into government discourse. This requires, in particular, greater citizen participation in democratic processes,” he concludes.
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