Resiliency Law Center, Inc. (RLC), is a Puerto Rico-based non-profit that serves those most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and natural disasters. The RLC was set up in 2020 as an advocacy center for disaster recovery and climate change awareness, training students, lawyers and other professionals in legal techniques to build resiliency in the face of climate change, whilst providing advice and legal representation to communities. As the oceans and atmosphere continue to warm, sea level around Puerto Rico is likely to rise one to three feet in the next century. With a population density of almost 449 inhabitants per km2 and 56% of its population living in coastal municipalities, Puerto Rico’s population is highly vulnerable to hazards; particularly, those who are economically disadvantaged. The RLC works to shift the balance of power to local communities to ensure that climate mitigation, disaster recovery and rebuilding in Puerto Rico is effective, fair, and resilient.
only if image, should be credited as Photo: Resiliency Law Center, Inc.
The RLC has a dedicated team of individuals focused on empowering historically marginalized, low-income communities. Puerto Rico grapples with deep income and wealth inequalities, high unemployment, and limited access to essential health, education, and social welfare services. These issues are exacerbated by fiscal mismanagement, debt crises, climate change, natural disasters, and environmental pollution. The Center’s mission is anchored in three core pillars: capacity building, advocacy and legal services. Through its capacity building program, the RLC trains students, lawyers and other professionals on federal recovery funds, contracts and advocacy techniques, with the purpose of enabling communities to access federal funds. The advocacy pillar drives equitable recovery and climate resilience in policy-making, while the legal services pillar offers legal representation to individuals, organizations, and communities, ensuring their voices are heard and rights are protected.