As climate change worsens, Spain’s new labour measures could set the perfect precedent for protecting workers against events that are no longer so unpredictable.
As predicted by climate scientists, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events continue to escalate due to anthropogenic climate change. The past year has witnessed devastating wildfires in Canada, severe droughts in Brazil, unprecedented heatwaves across Europe and, most recently, catastrophic floods in Spain—events that have claimed thousands of lives whilst causing widespread community displacement and substantial economic and environmental damage globally.
European policymakers need to intensify efforts not only on climate change mitigation but also adaptation. Whilst the European Green Deal incorporated an EU adaptation strategy, the instruments adopted over the past five years have primarily concentrated on mitigation through greenhouse gas emissions reduction.
A critical aspect requiring attention is the impact of climate change on workplaces, particularly regarding workers’ health and safety. The risks span extreme heat, severe weather events, ultraviolet radiation, air pollution and vector-borne diseases. The International Labour Organization’s (ILO) data is particularly striking: at least 2.41 billion workers globally face exposure to excessive heat annually.
The development of robust legal protections for workers constitutes a vital component of adaptation efforts. Spain’s response to last month’s devastating floods offers an instructive example: through royal decree, the government established a ‘labour shield’ comprising both temporary labour and social security measures for affected workers, alongside permanent provisions for future events—an approach that merits broader EU consideration.
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The Spanish example
The Spanish regulation’s four permanent provisions represent significant policy advancement, highlighting the essential role of labour rights, social protection, worker participation and collective bargaining in climate change adaptation.
Firstly, the regulation introduces paid ‘climate leave’ of up to four days, with extension possibilities, applicable when workers cannot access their workplace due to public authority orders or serious weather-related risks. Should remote work prove unfeasible beyond this period, provisions exist for contract suspension or reduced hours, supported by income protection measures.
Secondly, employers must inform workers about disaster alerts and adverse weather warnings, aligned with existing health and safety information and consultation protocols. This establishes a crucial communication channel between workers and public alert services via employers.
Thirdly, the regulation further mandates the adoption, through collective agreements, of action plans incorporating specific risk prevention measures for natural disasters and extreme weather events. Whilst the precise scope of these plans remains to be determined, this provision is significant because it emphasises the key role of trade unions and collective bargaining in workplace climate adaptation.
Fourth and finally, the government commits to developing comprehensive regulation on the protection of workers against climate change-related risks within twelve months—unprecedented in Europe. Whilst some countries have implemented limited measures, such as Greece’s temporary restriction of outdoor work during extreme temperatures in June, no comprehensive legislative framework currently addresses climate-related risks.
Existing gaps and next steps
EU-level discourse on workers’ rights in the climate context has predominantly focused on the implications of climate policies for industries and jobs, emphasising the need for a socially just transition to net-zero. Spain’s decree marks crucial progress in recognising climate change’s direct disruption of working conditions, and should catalyse broader policy development.
Current EU occupational health and safety legislation addresses these risks in a limited and fragmented manner. It inadequately protects many workers most vulnerable to climate change and fails to explicitly identify hazards’ links to climate change—connections crucial for developing effective protective frameworks.
Trade unions have played a pivotal role in protecting workers during Spain’s floods. More broadly, unions—including the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)—have consistently advocated for enhanced protection against climate hazards. For example, the ETUC’s 2019 call for EU action on heat stress protection, reiterated this year, demonstrates sustained pressure for legislative intervention.
Specific legislation addressing particular risks, alongside a comprehensive framework for broader climate-related hazards as envisaged by Spain, would facilitate structural measures prioritising proactive risk management over reactive emergency responses. EU and national policymakers must act decisively with systematic responses rather than await disaster.
Marouane Laabbas-el-Guennouni is a researcher at the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI), focused on the impacts of climate change and the ecological transition on occupational safety and health.
Kalina Arabadjieva is a researcher at the European Trade Union Institute, with a PhD in labour law. She is working on gender equality and the just transition.