Climate change
With climate change policy linked to much of public sector policy, UNISON is helping members push for greener, fairer workplaces and communities
What is happening
UNISON is aware that the climate emergency is real, urgent and that dramatic changes are required by UK and global governments to address these issues.
Global temperatures and air pollution continue to rise, as does the effect of heatwaves on human health. We know that extreme heat and pollution prey on the poorest and most disadvantaged people. And it is public services and our members who must pick up the pieces of these impacts in the UK.
Health and environment
Our members are often at the frontline of managing the effects on our health and our environment. Those in the health service are managing the increased health impacts of excess heat or pollution, and in the environment agency our members are responding to the floods and droughts and other environmental impacts that happen on an increasing frequent basis. Our energy workers are delivering the new renewable technologies and infrastructure that reduce reliance on fossil fuels. And many other jobs will be affected in one way or another.
Public services directly emit around 8% of the UK’s greenhouse gases and that is without including public transport or considering the influence on procurement, construction, social housing and more. Across every sector our workers are key stakeholders in the transformations needed to meet the UK’s commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
What UNISON is doing
UNISON is clear that climate change policy in public services is inextricably linked to policies on public health, the cost-of-living crisis, education and skills and almost all other areas of public policy.
UNISON is supporting additional capacity in branches with the new environmental Officer role. Providing training, guidance and support networks to enable our branches to meet the challenges of climate change as they arise in workplaces.
We are encouraging all members and branches to engage on this topic in any way they can in their workplaces, their local communities, nationally and globally throughout the year with a focused week of Green activity with Green UNISON week every year in mid-September.
Check out the details on the 2026 UNISON Year of Green Activity page.
Public services and Just Transition
UNISON supports the UK’s Just Transition commitments and those embodied in the Glasgow Climate Pact, agreed by the UK government at COP 26 which “recognises the need to ensure just transitions that promote sustainable development and eradication of poverty and the creation of decent work and quality jobs”.
UNISON is clear that change is vital and that we can’t put off the necessary changes until a more convenient time but we are also clear that the necessary transition must be a fair or ‘Just’ transition that leaves no one behind;
- changing jobs should be protected;
- training should be provided;
- proper investment is needed for increasing demands;
- workers and the communities they serve should be part of the conversation;
- no groups should be disproportionately disadvantaged;
- opportunities and benefits should be shared.
Pensions investment
In 2017 UNISON’s national delegate conference passed a dis-invest from carbon motion. It commits the union to support campaigns to ensure that your pension fund and of course the companies we all invest in take climate change seriously.
The motion ensured that any campaign demand from UNISON had to include alternative investment proposals to address climate change and replace the assets that pension funds will be selling.
Year of Green Activity
Help change workplaces and public services to meet climate change commitments
Read more about climate change
News
UNISON launches its Year of Green Activity
Members across the union are told to “never forget that your voice is important” in the fight to save the planet
News
Keeping net zero at the heart of UNISON’s agenda
UNISON has declared 2026 the Year of Green Activity with the union having a long and committed record in combating climate change
Blog
Opinion: Announcing the Year of Green Activity – 2026
Start preparing today for a bumper year of green activity and look out for updates and materials to support your engagement throughout the year
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