Jobs vs. Rainforest? Mini-exhibition & open guided tours on Just Transition in the palm oil sector
Image: Paul SattlerBetter Working Conditions and Environmental Protection: A Dream Team – New Mini-Exhibition and Guided Tours in the Tropical Greenhouse.
In Southeast Asia’s palm oil industry, vast monocultures are now replacing what once stored vast amounts of CO2, provided a home for people, and served as a habitat for thousands of animal and plant species. At the same time, despite the widespread destruction, the plantations are now a major source of jobs—and their impact extends far beyond Southeast Asia. It seems as though the industry is facing a dilemma: either a pristine rainforest or millions of jobs. Rarely, however, is attention paid to the workers themselves and their ability to take action. After all, the wages of some 16 million people in Indonesia alone depend on maintaining the plantations that harm their own bodies and our global climate. Yet there are labor movements in which they stand up for their own interests. These initial steps demonstrate that efforts to improve working conditions can also benefit the environment and the climate. The concept behind this is called “Just Transition.”
The mini-exhibition, which will be on display at the Tropenhaus starting in late October, along with three public guided tours, will focus precisely on this topic. What real and apparent dilemmas are emerging in the palm oil industry? What are the perspectives and interests of the workers, and what do concrete ideas for the future of the palm oil industry look like? And how can we apply the Just Transition approach to our own lives and workplaces?
Opening and first guided tour: Sunday, October 18 at 3:00 p.m.
Additional guided tours:
Wednesday, October 21 at 4:00 p.m. (English) and
Sunday, October 25 at 2:00 p.m.
Concept and facilitation: Paul Sattler is a student (Agriculture, Society, Biodiversity), works in “green” sectors, and is active in the field of Just Transition and ecological labor policy
No registration required; admission: €5 / free for students