In two weeks in 2017, Puerto Rico experienced two powerful hurricanes, Irma  and María . The compound effects decimated the island's power, water, communications and transportation infrastructure, and an estimated 2975 people lost their lives . Soon after, while many homes still had no electricity or roofs and the tree canopy was still bare, Puerto Ricans were faced with cascading effects including environmental health impacts from air pollution, extreme heat and mosquitoes . In 2020, while still recovering, Puerto Ricans experienced earthquakes, extreme African dust events, intense coastal and urban floods, and the COVID-19 pandemic . These events continue to unveil unresolved conditions of social vulnerability and its root causes in economic poverty, social inequities, aged and deteriorating infrastructure, and population loss . Combined with limited past investment in climate change adaptation and underlying governance challenges including corruption, bankruptcy and political crisis , this has constrained a more CRD for Puerto Rico.
IPCC
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
IPCC Report