Spain’s leftist government has introduced a new policy called “paid climate leave” that allows employees to take up to four days off work to avoid traveling during weather emergencies, following the deadly floods that hit the Valencia region in October. The new policy aims to protect workers from risks related to extreme weather events and is inspired by similar laws in Canada. Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz emphasized the importance of regulating work in accordance with the climate emergency to prevent workers from being forced to take unnecessary risks.
The legislation comes in response to criticism of companies that required employees to work during the October floods despite red alerts issued by the national weather agency. The government has allocated 2.3 billion euros in aid for flood victims and warned that the cost of extreme weather events could double by 2050. Scientists have linked climate change to the increased frequency and severity of natural disasters, including the heavy rainfall that triggered the deadly floods in Valencia.
The conservative regional president of Valencia acknowledged mistakes were made in response to the floods but refused to resign, attributing the scale of the disaster to overwhelming circumstances. Just two weeks after the floods, more heavy rainfall forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes in the Málaga region. The government’s commitment to green policies in the face of climate denialism reflects a global recognition of the urgent need to address the impacts of climate change on communities and workplaces.
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