Part 3 of 3 of the Briefing Series: "Recovery & Resilience in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands"
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The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a series of one-hour online briefings about resilience initiatives in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and their ongoing recovery from back-to-back natural disasters over the last several years.
Speakers:
Ruth Santiago
Community Advocate; Board Member, EarthJustice
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Greg Guannel
Director, Caribbean Green Technology Center, University of the Virgin Islands
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Every U.S. coast is facing climate adaptation challenges due to rising sea levels and other coastal hazards, but island economies are especially vulnerable. The Fourth National Climate Assessment points to the small size and relative isolation of the U.S. Caribbean islands (including Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra, St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John, and Water Island), which means their “social, economic, and ecological systems are likely to be more sensitive to changes in temperature and precipitation than similar systems in the mainland United States.”
Day Three focused on local initiatives for energy democracy and public health, an ongoing effort. Ruth Santiago, community advocate and EarthJustice board member, discussed the campaign to remediate coal-ash sites and other harmful legacies of the island’s fossil fuel-based energy system and current efforts to upgrade the outdated and storm-damaged energy infrastructure. She also discussed the strength of Puerto Rico’s commitment to a renewable energy economy. Greg Guannel, Director of the Green Caribbean Center at the University of the Virgin Islands, discussed his work to update the U.S. Virgin Islands’ hazard mitigation plan for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including strategies for resilient housing, infrastructure, natural systems for coastal protection, and a dedication to community involvement.
