Sea level rise has passed the tipping point, and flooding is getting worse in coastal communities all over the world.
Our Focus
The Center’s focus is on “resiliency + adaptation”: providing education, outreach, and promoting design guidelines and best practices for the built environment to better prepare communities for increased flooding.
Our Mission
Prepare Puerto Rico and the Caribbean to adapt and thrive in the new era of increasing flood risk from storms, tides, and sea level rise. This new program of the Puerto Rico Science Trust will further establish Puerto Rico’s leadership and stature as a center of excellence and innovation.
Sea level rise has passed the tipping point
Pretending it’s not going to happen, will not do any good.
Our Solutions
The Center’s focus will be on “resiliency + adaptation”, promoting design guidelines and best practices for the built environment to better prepare communities for increased flooding.
The four primary areas of focus will be:
Create Safe Advanced Flood Estimates (SAFE™)
as guidelines for coastal design, planning, and engineering that include a margin-of-safety over the latest projections for flooding.
Work with the built-environment professions
such as architecture, engineering, finance, and legal.
- Create educational courses and workshops to teach the latest scientific understandings and best practices.
- Develop a global resource hub and online database with critical information and adaptation solutions.
- Hold Caribbean regional conferences engaging private sector, government, and science/academia.
Establish a policy center for smart building codes and zoning
that will ensure more durable buildings, infrastructure, and communities.
Do outreach to promote 100-year flood safe communities.
Prepare Puerto Rico and the Caribbean
Program Benefits
Flood resistant design and construction will reduce property damage and loss of life.
People will visit Puerto Rico to see what we are doing to adapt in advance of future flooding.
Flood resistant buildings and infrastructure will attract more investment.
Our Initiatives
Documentary Explores Climate Change’s Impact on Puerto Rico
“Cuando el Mar Nos Alcance” connects Greenland's icy landscapes to Puerto Rico's vulnerable shores, highlighting the global challenge of rising sea levels.
¡El Centro Caribeño de Aumento del Nivel del Mar lanza su campaña educativa!
Esta iniciativa incluye una serie de afiches informativos que detallan las causas y consecuencias sobre el aumento del nivel del mar, ahora disponibles en 10 centros de Para La Naturaleza.
Advancing Environmental Justice: Support and Collaboration in Coastal Communities in Puerto Rico
The Caribbean Center for Rising Seas is leading a vital initiative with the PRSTRT, NASA and the Global Resilience Institute to address environmental challenges in La Margarita, Salinas. This [...]
Visit by the International Committee of the State Managers Association for Floodplain Dialogues
The Caribbean Center for Sea Level Rise acted as co-host for an expedition to Puerto Rico by the International Committee of Floodplain Managers. The week-long visit, which extended to [...]
Episode: Preserving Our Coastlines
Listen to the interview with Architect Fernando E. Pabón Rico and Geologist Maritza Barreto Orta, Ph.D., about the challenge of coastal erosion and preserving the use and enjoyment of [...]
Responding to Sea Level Rise in Puerto Rico
At the twenty-fifth anniversary of Mega Civil Friday, celebrated on April 5, 2024, more than 70 engineers and surveyors were presented with a focus on the implications of encouraging a [...]
Resources
Fernando Pabón AIA,CAAPPR
Program Director
Gilberto Guevara, MBA
Senior Manager
Carlos I. Gómez Borges
Engineering Specialist
Francisco V. Aquino Serrano
Policy and Legislation Manager
