In November 2010, the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources through the Puerto Rico Coastal Zone Management Program initiated Puerto Rico’s third roundtable on climate changeClimate changeRefers to the long-term changes in the Earth’s climate that are warming the atmosphere, ocean and land. Climate change is affecting the balance of ecosystems that support life and biodiversity, and impacting health. It also causes more extreme weather events, such as more intense and/or frequent hurricanes, floods, heat waves,... More. This initiative had roots on the 2007 and 2009 roundtables where experts from the scientific and academic community came together to share knowledge about the current state of Puerto Rico’s climate science. In addition to sharing knowledge, representatives from the media presented their views on climate changeClimate changeRefers to the long-term changes in the Earth’s climate that are warming the atmosphere, ocean and land. Climate change is affecting the balance of ecosystems that support life and biodiversity, and impacting health. It also causes more extreme weather events, such as more intense and/or frequent hurricanes, floods, heat waves,... More and a dialogue was facilitated between them and the Puerto Rican scientific community. The main goal of these initial efforts were to identify gaps in communications between the two groups and begin devising a strategy for future work. The roundtable also was devoted to pitching the idea of a Puerto Rico coastal adaptation project and discussing, as a large group, the creation of a panel of experts to assess the effects of climate changeClimate changeRefers to the long-term changes in the Earth’s climate that are warming the atmosphere, ocean and land. Climate change is affecting the balance of ecosystems that support life and biodiversity, and impacting health. It also causes more extreme weather events, such as more intense and/or frequent hurricanes, floods, heat waves,... More on Puerto Rico’s society and ecosystems. The idea was met with excitement and together the participants discussed processes and sectors to be assessed.

Between November 2010 and April 2011 critical partners were convened to initiate the discussion of the vision, mission, goals and objectives, as well as the name under which efforts were to be conducted. Partners determined that this voluntary association of scientists and other disciplines would be recognized as the Puerto Rico Climate Change CouncilPuerto Rico Climate Change CouncilCollaborative, multidisciplinary and voluntary effort that brings together professionals from federal, state, private sector, academia, planners, community members and communications experts, among others, who monitor and evaluate the risks, and possible impacts of climate change on society, economy and biodiversity, and offer recommendations to promote adaptation and resilience in Puerto... More (PRCCCPuerto Rico Climate Change CouncilCollaborative, multidisciplinary and voluntary effort that brings together professionals from federal, state, private sector, academia, planners, community members and communications experts, among others, who monitor and evaluate the risks, and possible impacts of climate change on society, economy and biodiversity, and offer recommendations to promote adaptation and resilience in Puerto... More). By researching previous efforts from around the world and especially other island communities, the PRCCCPuerto Rico Climate Change CouncilCollaborative, multidisciplinary and voluntary effort that brings together professionals from federal, state, private sector, academia, planners, community members and communications experts, among others, who monitor and evaluate the risks, and possible impacts of climate change on society, economy and biodiversity, and offer recommendations to promote adaptation and resilience in Puerto... More together decided on a vision, a mission, objectives, guiding principles, and the sectors to be assessed.

The PRCCCPuerto Rico Climate Change CouncilCollaborative, multidisciplinary and voluntary effort that brings together professionals from federal, state, private sector, academia, planners, community members and communications experts, among others, who monitor and evaluate the risks, and possible impacts of climate change on society, economy and biodiversity, and offer recommendations to promote adaptation and resilience in Puerto... More began collaboration to ensure a coordinated effort, using the best available science and the most recent geophysical and chemical scientific knowledge to assess climate change impactsClimate change impactsConsequences (positive or negative) of climate change on natural and human systems. More on Puerto Rico’s ecology and biodiversity, and society and economy. This assessment resulted in the 2013 Puerto Rico State of Climate Report. After the publication of this report, the US Global Change Research Program trusted several members of the PRCCCPuerto Rico Climate Change CouncilCollaborative, multidisciplinary and voluntary effort that brings together professionals from federal, state, private sector, academia, planners, community members and communications experts, among others, who monitor and evaluate the risks, and possible impacts of climate change on society, economy and biodiversity, and offer recommendations to promote adaptation and resilience in Puerto... More to develop the first stand-alone chapter of Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands to be published as part of the Fourth National Climate Assessment, the first dedicated chapter to these Caribbean islands.

The latest version of the Puerto RIco State of the Climate Report was published in 2022. The PRCCCPuerto Rico Climate Change CouncilCollaborative, multidisciplinary and voluntary effort that brings together professionals from federal, state, private sector, academia, planners, community members and communications experts, among others, who monitor and evaluate the risks, and possible impacts of climate change on society, economy and biodiversity, and offer recommendations to promote adaptation and resilience in Puerto... More membership meets once a year at the PRCCCPuerto Rico Climate Change CouncilCollaborative, multidisciplinary and voluntary effort that brings together professionals from federal, state, private sector, academia, planners, community members and communications experts, among others, who monitor and evaluate the risks, and possible impacts of climate change on society, economy and biodiversity, and offer recommendations to promote adaptation and resilience in Puerto... More Summit to present the latest climate science and share relevant information to support the decision making processes at the government, private sector and civil society.

Membership selection in the PRCCCPuerto Rico Climate Change CouncilCollaborative, multidisciplinary and voluntary effort that brings together professionals from federal, state, private sector, academia, planners, community members and communications experts, among others, who monitor and evaluate the risks, and possible impacts of climate change on society, economy and biodiversity, and offer recommendations to promote adaptation and resilience in Puerto... More has been ongoing and as such the PRCCCPuerto Rico Climate Change CouncilCollaborative, multidisciplinary and voluntary effort that brings together professionals from federal, state, private sector, academia, planners, community members and communications experts, among others, who monitor and evaluate the risks, and possible impacts of climate change on society, economy and biodiversity, and offer recommendations to promote adaptation and resilience in Puerto... More is constantly growing. The PRCCCPuerto Rico Climate Change CouncilCollaborative, multidisciplinary and voluntary effort that brings together professionals from federal, state, private sector, academia, planners, community members and communications experts, among others, who monitor and evaluate the risks, and possible impacts of climate change on society, economy and biodiversity, and offer recommendations to promote adaptation and resilience in Puerto... More is comprised of over 140 partners representing researchers, planners, architects, practitioners, agency representatives and communications experts. Participants are selected based on expertise and recommendations from current participants.