The CSN has long been concerned with sustainable development. In recent years, unusual and violent climatic events have multiplied: storms, cyclones, tornadoes, hurricanes, heatwaves, droughts, and floods kill thousands of people every year and devastate entire areas of our planet. We are now forced to examine how we live and produce. A consensus has developed in scientific circles on the links between human activities and climate change. Unpredictable disruptions, ecosystem degradation, species extinction, natural resource depletion, land pollution, and soil erosion bring us face-to-face with our own demise.

The concept of sustainable development also encompasses access to decent work and respect for human rights and labour rights, such as the rights to associate, bargain collectively, and strike. It forces us to reflect upon the concept of sustainability by taking into account economic, social, and environmental aspects. In short, it is a development model that takes into account social justice and the fight against poverty. Based on respect for future generations and the planet’s capacity to meet their basic needs, it emphasizes the notion of responsibility.

Policy officer: Yvan Duceppe
Policy advisor : Jean-François Lapointe
Union Advisor from the Occupational Health and Safety and Environment Service: Isabelle Ménard