S2E10 Climate Resilience in Puerto Rico

On this week of Climate Conversations, the team sits down with Ramón Bueno; a MIT alumnus and climate and development specialist. They discuss the devastation in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, in the context of systems failure and intersectional justice.

Bueno outlines the significance of the centralized power system in Puerto Rico, and how its reliance on fossil fuels has failed the people of Puerto Rico. To avoid similar failures in the future, he advocates decentralizing power systems via developing micro grids, as well as developing electricity infrastructure that is more resilient in extreme weather events.

Bueno and the team also look at how the hurricane amplified social and economic justice issues. There are many opportunities in the crisis for addressing those issues while increasing initiatives to reduce poverty. The conversation closes with highlights of what communities both in Puerto Rico and in the greater Boston area, have undertaken to mobilize for immediate needs as well as social and environmental justice longer term.