A month after floods killed at least 224 people, Spain has introduced “paid climate leave” for up to four days in a bid to allow workers to stay home during weather emergencies. According to The Guardian, the policy comes after several companies faced criticism for ordering employees to keep working during the floods, despite a red alert issued by the National Weather Agency. The firms argued that they were not adequately informed by the authorities and blamed delayed telephone alerts for their failure to act during the European country’s deadliest floods in decades.
Spain’s labour minister Yolanda Diaz said that the new measure aims to “regulate in accordance with the climate emergency” so that “no worker must run risks”. If emergency authorities raise the alarm about a risk, “the worker must refrain from going to work”, said Ms Diaz, per the outlet. Separately, the government stated that employees can resort to a reduced working day beyond the four-day period, a mechanism that already exists for emergencies.
“In the face of climate denialism from the right, the Spanish government is committed to green policies,” the labour minister added.
Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo highlighted the growing financial impact of extreme weather, warning that related costs could double by 2050. He also announced 2.3 billion euros in new aid for flood victims.
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In October, Valencia was hit the hardest by the floods, with at least 216 fatalities reported in the region. Conservative regional president Carlos Mazon admitted mistakes, however, he resisted calls to resign, describing the floods as an “apocalyptic” event that overwhelmed systems.
Notably, just two weeks after the devastating floods, torrential rains returned to Spain, forcing 3,000 residents in Malaga to evacuate their homes.
Climate experts have linked the intensifying rainfall to human-driven climate breakdown. According to The Guardian, they explained that this is because warmer air can hold more water vapour, making extreme rainfall events more frequent and severe, particularly in Europe, most of Asia, central and eastern North America and parts of South America, Africa and Australia. However, the extent of flooding is also influenced by factors such as flood defences and land use, experts said.