Welcome to our 2026 Year of Green Activity hub!
Right now, pollution alone causes more excess deaths than war, drugs, malaria, HIV and alcohol combined. Extreme weather events are more frequent than ever and causing thousands of excess deaths and devastation, globally and in the UK.
This year we have had new, disease-carrying mosquitoes for the first time in the UK, due to warmer climate, and the Environment Agency just announced that 1 in 4 homes will be at risk of flooding by 2050 in England alone. There are very few climate change deniers anymore!
The direct impacts on public finances, on public health, the cost-of-living crisis (food and energy costs) and all other areas of public policy are plain to see. All experts now agree that the costs – both financial and ecological – of doing nothing far outweigh the costs of action.
Over 90% of members surveyed recently said they were concerned about climate change. And many of our members are directly involved in preventing, preparing for and protecting against the impacts of climate change, while extreme weather is making us all increasing uncomfortable and unsafe in our jobs.
UNISON and many of our members are already active on climate change. Read on to find out what we are doing and how you can join us during this special highlight Year of Green Activity – there is a whole calendar of activity to get involved in, including:
political engagement opportunities on winnable issues
a webinar series to spotlight the impact of climate change in our work and lives
a new bitesize branch training module
a Green UNISON film festival
…. And much more.
2026 UNISON Year of Green Activity
UNISON Year of Green Activity – How Climate Change is Impacting UNISON Members in the Energy Sector
Year of Green Activity Webinar: AI’s dirty secret – the environmental cost of digitalisation
26 March 2026 12:30pm–1:30pm
Online via Teams
The government is pushing rapid AI adoption across public services, but there’s a problem: AI is terrible for the environment.
2026 UNISON Year of Green Activity
Most of us now recognise that a huge transformation is necessary to transition to a safer and more sustainable planet. In the UK, climate change is already harming our health, our jobs, our economy and our environment in ways that are going to be hard to reverse. Extreme heat or cold, and extreme weather events are making it harder for all of us to do our jobs or live our lives. And it is now indisputable that the impacts of climate change fall more heavily on the disadvantaged; this is true in the UK and globally too.
“Tackling climate change can’t wait until a more convenient time – there’s too much at stake for our members, their jobs, their families and the communities we all live in – we have to act now.”
Christina McAnea, general secretary.
The climate emergency is happening now. And it’s directly impacting UNISON members, their workplaces and the crucial services they provide
.
The UK Committee on Climate Change has said the next decade is critical in preventing climate breakdown.
As a union, we have a vital role to play in campaigning for greener politics, working with employers to make workplaces more sustainable.
By harnessing the collective power of our membership, we’ll ensure a safe, healthy and thriving future for generations to come.
