COSATU will present its submission on Treasury’s Carbon Tax Bill to Parliament’s Standing Committee on Finance at 3:50pm 14 March, Good Hope Chamber, Parliament.
COSATU has long been a champion of the need for government, industry, labour and society at large to urgently work together to stop climate change.
It is working class communities that are the first to suffer and most at risk to the devastating impact of climate change. We need look no further than the water crisis engulfing the Cape provinces to see the cost of inaction.
However we are deeply concerned at government’s lazy tax first, consult later approach to resolving climate change and our many other crises.
COSATU is deeply aggrieved that government has no jobs plan for those workers whose jobs are at risk due to climate change, the evolving economy and energy sector. COSATU is left with no choice but to condemn government’s addiction to raising taxes and lethargy to developing a plan with industry, labour and communities for a just transition.
COSATU will present to Parliament, its proposals of what should the jobs plan and a just transition include. At the heart of these have to be the needs to protect and save both the environment and jobs. They need not be exclusive to each other. It is hoped that these will crystalise at the planned Presidential Jobs and Investment Summits.
For further information, please contact:
Matthew Parks
Parliamentary Coordinator
Cell: 082 785 0687
Email: matthew@cosatu.org.za
6th Floor, Constitution House,
124 Adderley Street
(corner of Church Street)
Cape Town 8000, South Africa