The Green Transition: Oil, Unions, and Climate

Green transition confronts us with a wide range of difficult choices and dilemmas. As it calls for the abandonment of fossil-based energy regimes, it raises difficult questions about cutting workplaces and livelihoods, and sources of energy in a global system that relies on the oil industry.

Moreover, the socio-economic realities in various oil-producing contexts represent different starting points and different trajectories for what just and equitable transition can and should involve. This session will explore questions rising at the intersection of such bold subjects as climate change, oil industry and union work.

– What can a green and just transition look like?
– Can the oil industry pivot and become a greener industry?
– How can the oil industry along with its knowledge and labour contribute to facilitating the green transition?
– Is it the industry or the labour unions that should be at the forefront of this transition?
– How can labour unions mitigate the risk for their workers left without a job, at the same time as they work to save our climate?

The session will start with a screening of a short documentary “Talking Union, Talking Climate” directed by Vivian Price. The film portrays a conversation between three oil workers from different parts of the world – Nigeria, USA and Norway, and their contemplations on oil industry and intersections of such topics as climate change, green transition, union work and future of the oil industry.

The film screening will be followed by a panel discussion including the film director and several researchers.