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Welsh Government’s Covid recovery plans must prioritise green growth to boost jobs and the economy while protecting our climate, according to a report published yesterday by Wales TUC.

‘A green recovery and a just transition’ calls for a massive economic stimulus to achieve a ‘just transition’ to a net-zero economy for workers and communities in Wales.

Wales could see a huge return on investment and thousands of new jobs if the Welsh Government had more money to invest in greener travel, renewable energy projects and sustainable homes, says the trade union body.

With fears of a recession and redundancies in the wake of the Covid crisis, the TUC is calling on the UK government to provide funding for a job guarantee scheme that supports decarbonisation. The Wales TUC wants to see this managed and delivered by Welsh Government in social partnership with trade unions and employers in Wales.

The report says:

• Wales needs a clear and funded pathway to net-zero that maximises the opportunities to create good quality green jobs that offer ‘fair work’.
• Workers must be given a central voice in planning the transition to ‘net-zero’, through discussions with Welsh Government and through workplace ‘transition agreements’ agreed with unions.
• Employers should work with unions to develop workplace sustainability initiatives.
• Workers need more funding for skills to provide a clear pathway to new, greener jobs.

Shavanah Taj, Wales TUC General Secretary yesterday said:

“Building the recovery from Coronavirus is a once in a generation challenge but also an opportunity to build back better.

“We believe that in Wales, trade unions, employers and government working together in social partnership will be the catalyst for achieving a greener, fairer, more equitable recovery and pathway to a net-zero Wales.

“Welsh trade unions welcome action from the Welsh Government to tackle the climate emergency. We support calls for Wales to be given further flexibility in its powers to borrow to invest in its climate priorities. But Wales will not be able to deliver this transition without a significant increase in funding, investment and policy changes from Westminster.

“The trade union movement in Wales supports the fight to protect our planet for future generations. We stand up for those workers whose jobs are at risk and younger workers seeking to enter the jobs market. We must take action now to make the recovery and transition to a net-zero economy a genuine and just one.”