Sustainable development goes to issues that are fundamental for trade unions - issues like hazards, democracy, the principles of justice and access to natural resources. These issues are also central to the current agenda on the EU's future and its international role.
The ETUI Health and Safety department (formerly TUTB) has begun thinking around what input trade unions can give to a European sustainable development strategy. It has mapped out the trade union role in the process following the launch of the EU sustainability strategy at the Council Summit in Gothenburg, as well as preparing a contribution to the Rio + 10 / Earth Summit being held in Johannesburg in September 2002, as the first steps in a five-year strategy.
The programme will address a limited number of key sustainability issues - which are also inherently key socio-economic issues:
- tackle chemical hazards;
- clean energy for sustainable work;
- sustainable food production and consumption;
- enhanced environmental expertise.
