The Caribbean Climate Adaptation Network (CCAN), a NOAA CAP/RISA team, organized the First US Caribbean Extreme Heat Summit on February 27-28, 2023 at the University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus. Warm temperatures are common in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, but rising global temperatures are stressing excessive heat at hazardous levels than those locals are accustomed to. While local government and community members are more aware of the importance of managing heat risk than ever before, there are few US Caribbean targeted initiatives/funding for heat risk mitigation.
The first day of the meeting focused on the local challenges of the US Caribbean in adapting to extreme heat events, and the second day focused on extreme heat and learning environments in both the US Caribbean Territories and continental area. CCAN’s efforts to convene local government, communities, researchers and experts on extreme heat in the U.S. Caribbean represents an essential contribution to furthering awareness and action on heat mitigation and climate adaptation. This summit will allow for idea-sharing, partnership building, and discussion of solutions including guidance for heat related policies in the region, and equitable climate adaptation strategies and actions to advance heat risk mitigation and adaptation in the U.S. Caribbean.
Recorded live streams are posted on cosponsor EcoExploratorio’s Facebook page.
For more information, contact Pablo Méndez Lázaro.
Image credit: Pablo Méndez Lázaro
