APHEDA has been awarded $4900 towards its climate justice projects in Nepal and the Philippines in CoPower’s democratic budget this year. As an energy cooperative, CoPower asks its members to decide where to spend surplus profit. This year 801 votes were cast to divide up $100,000 among many worthwhile climate justice projects.
This year our customer members have voted to continue our support for @apheda‘s energy democracy program with $4,900. What does that mean? Well here’s an example; CLASS Nepal running a worker education workshop on climate change impacts on cleaners. pic.twitter.com/hRjfoP9YhD
— CoPower (@Co_Power_) July 21, 2022
Out of 37 projects that applied for funding, some of the successful projects included a strike fund for workers, funding for the Antipoverty Centre, an upgrade to an Aboriginal women’s residence in the Glasshouse Mountains, and the creation of a biodiversity pollination corridor in Melbourne.
CoPower was formed by unions and environmental groups, and from the beginning, the people involved wanted to put power into the hands of members and help drive social change.
The money awarded to CoPower will go towards our partner the Centre for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) in the Philippines to roll out its climate justice worker module and organise informal women workers and agricultural workers. Part of the money will also go towards supporting our partner organisation in Nepal to draft a just transition organising manual. They have worked across the union movement to consult with workers to consider how climate change is impacting livelihoods, occupational health and safety, and economic changes such as job losses.
Thank you to everyone who supported APHEDA in this year’s vote and we look forward to keeping you updated on the work our partner unions are doing to drive just transition for workers most impacted by the climate crisis. If you are interested in switching your household energy to CoPower, find out more on their website.