San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz shares her views on coming together for cities affected by major hurricanes, typhoons, tsunamis.
San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz (pictured)
at her Closing Plenary Keynote
in Greenbuild 2018.
(image courtesy Pierpont Communications)
A year after hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017 and claimed more than 3,057 lives, its cities remain haunted by disrupted lives of survivors, unlivable spaces, and lack of light. It’s never easy to bounce back after a natural disaster of this magnitude. Just look at the effects of similar storms resulting from extreme climate like
category 5 typhoon Haiyan that made landfall in November 2013 in the Philippines.
More than 1,300 scientists from the United States and other countries that comprise The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), stated that,
“Taken as a whole, the range of published evidence indicates that the net damage costs of climate change are likely to be significant and to increase over time,” as published by NASA.
At the closing plenary in the Greenbuild 2018 conference, San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz underscored the importance of coming together in dealing with the effects of climate change,
“This is not about politics, it’s about saving lives.” She delivered a powerful message that aligned with this conference that advocates for the intersection of humanity and the built environment. “It was a privilege to welcome Mayor Cruz to Greenbuild 2018,” said Lindsay Roberts, group director, Informa Exhibitions.
“She’s very well aware of the powerful impact of nature when it intertwines with humanity. Her insights on creating resilient and healthy communities for all resonated greatly with our audience.” Particularly for architects, planners, and professionals in the built environment, she cited three things that can be done to make our world a better place… together.
Watch and listen to what she shared:
1. Uplift the human spirit
2. Come together
3. Look to the future
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Lira Luis, AIA, RIBA, NCARB, CeM, LEED AP BD+C is a global architect specializing in organic architecture. She serves as Chair-emeritus of the AIA Practice Management Knowledge Community Advisory Group, a member of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin Fellowship, and Chair-emeritus of the Royal Institute of British Architects USA Chicago Chapter.