Sánchez pledges climate shelters in Spanish state buildings before summer

Sánchez promises climate shelters in state buildings «before summer»

At 40 degrees in the shade, any place with air conditioning sounds like paradise. But the idea that a citizen could walk into a tax office or a courthouse to cool off is more complicated than it seems. Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, announced this Wednesday the creation of a nationwide network of climate shelters in buildings of the State's General Administration, with the aim of having it operational «before next summer». The announcement, part of a broader climate emergency plan, also includes protection for vulnerable households, a rural green jobs plan and the promotion of regular emergency drills.

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The flagship measure: public buildings as oases

According to the Prime Minister, «the buildings of the administrations, but particularly those of the State's General Administration» will be made available to the public. The idea is not new: during the heatwaves of 2023 and 2024, several city councils turned libraries and civic centres into shelters. Now the aim is to give it national coverage. However, details are scarce: which specific buildings? With what capacity? Who will pay for the air conditioning running at full blast amid the energy crisis? The absence of concrete figures fuels the doubts.

The background noise: housing, classrooms without air conditioning and drills

The announcement comes amid tensions: access to housing remains the number one problem for young people, and many public classrooms still lack air conditioning in June, with temperatures of 30 to 35 degrees. Meanwhile, the plan includes «regular drills» – a word some analysts interpret as preparation for rationing or collapse scenarios. The perception that image measures are being prioritised over structural problems runs through the debate: «Just what everyone in this country needed: climate shelters. Never mind unemployment, housing, healthcare... those are secondary matters», one strand of opinion quips.

Corruption and business: who gets the contract?

Some point to the potential for graft: «I suppose there must be some friendly company in charge of adapting those buildings», goes the speculation. The shadow of emergency contracts and kickbacks hangs over any announcement of public works in Spain. References to «la pequeña Nicolasa» – alluding to the Prime Minister's vvife – and the memory of the Banco de España's 200 tonnes of gold are signs that distrust of the government runs deep. So much so that some compare the measure to Chávez's empty promises in Venezuela.

The deadly climate and the unanswered questions

Sánchez has insisted that «the climate emergency kills». The data confirm that heatwaves are becoming increasingly lethal, especially among the elderly and people with few resources. But the question nobody answers is whether this network of shelters will be enough, or whether, as the most sceptical voices suggest, it is just media «smoke and mirrors». Tropical nights in Madrid are not fought off with a public building open from 10 am to 6 pm. And the logistics of «booking an appointment» to take shelter from the heat adds a Kafkaesque touch.

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The plan was presented alongside a grand national agreement to tackle the climate emergency, with measures ranging from reforestation to early warning. But scepticism is overwhelming. As one analyst put it: «If they managed to lock us up for months over a bicho, don't be surprised if they also manage to fill the courthouses with climate refugees». Summer will tell whether reality matches the announcement, or whether, as so often, the story remains just a headline.