Blog & Debate
Welcome to the GJA blog space. Here we host critical debates on the key issues we face, as an organisation, as a movement of workers, and as a society.
Vocational education and training (VET) for retrofit
Tanya Paquet on UnsplashThe Parliamentary Committee for Energy Security and Net Zero recently called for submissions on Workforce planning to deliver clean, secure energy. This is the submission on the need for a more coherent and climate conscious education for...
A Warm Homes Plan for Workers
Photo: Rebecca Landis flickr.com/photos/landis/By Sam Perry Green Bargaining Officer Yorkshire and Humber TUC The government’s Warm Homes Plan, promised in Labour’s 2024 manifesto, has the potential to be revolutionary. An ambitious and well-executed plan to cut...
It’s money that has stopped nuclear power, not planning problems
Photo by Talsarnau TimesBy DAVID TOKE Of all the nonsense about nuclear power that one hears, the idea that somehow it is planning problems rather than financial issues that stop its development surely takes the biscuit. The Government bats away any formal planning...
What UK school leavers do – and do not – understand about the climate crisis; and why this is a problem
Photo by Callum Shaw on UnsplashThe conclusions of the December 2024 research report into climate literacy among school leavers in England makes worrying reading. The survey conclusions are republished below. My comments are in italics. Through asking a selected...
Chinese Whispers
By Paul Atkin The unilateral abandonment of responsibility for the future of humanity represented by Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, attempted sabotage of the US energy transition and international interventions to build a denialist international...
Kill your speed to save the climate: responding to the car’s role in the climate crisis
Image: Parked Cars by Image by Thomas from PixabayProducing 27% of the UK’s carbon emissions, the transport sector has a huge contribution to make in achieving our Net Zero and 1.5o targets. Here Daniel Scharf presents the case for how our approach to the private...
Exposing the Great British Nuclear Fantasy
Image: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpgIn recent blog posts and newsletter items, we’ve dealt extensively with the energy transition, including the fallacy of Carbon Capture and Storage. One aspect not covered thus far has been...
Labour and CCS: another response to the ‘dirty energytechno fix’
Our original compilation of responses to the ‘dirty energy technofix‘ article by Les Levidow and Simon Pirani included some comments from CACCTU Secretary, Ellen Robottom. Ellen has been extensively involved in the campaign for a genuine (as opposed to green washed)...
Labour and CCS: responses to the ‘dirty energy technofix’ blog
Last month, GJA published a blog, The Labour government’s dirty energy technofix must be contested and replaced, written by Les Levidow and Simon Pirani and, given how high profile and controversial the government’s plans are proving (see, for example, this Guardian...
Letters from Baku
This blog covers the most urgent issue currently facing the Trade Union movement as regards the climate crisis. We would encourage feedback, response articles and replies from every perspective to ensure we do justice to workers everywhere in this crucial debate. Use...
Labour’s Climate Strategy – strengths and weaknesses
This blog covers the most urgent issue currently facing the Trade Union movement as regards the climate crisis. We would encourage feedback, response articles and replies from every perspective to ensure we do justice to workers everywhere in this crucial debate. Use...
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