Legislature delays climate change report to December 2026

Rep. Ángel Morey Noble

By The Star Staff

To enable a thorough, responsible and thoughtful legislative evaluation, the Joint Commission on Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience will have until Dec. 31, 2026, to present its final report to the Legislative Assembly.

The report will include findings and recommendations related to Puerto Rico’s Climate Change Plan. The legislative bill was approved Monday in the regular session of the House of Representatives, with 31 votes in favor and 14 against.

Rep. Ángel Morey Noble, who chairs the House Committee on Legislative Reorganization, Efficiency, and Diligence, noted that the complexity of climate change and the volume of information involved require adequate time for in-depth analysis and public discussion.

“This is one of the most comprehensive and far-reaching public policy documents that will directly impact Puerto Rico’s sustainable development,” the legislator said. “This report cannot be reviewed lightly; it requires rigorous study, extensive consultations, and a responsible deliberative process from the Legislative Assembly.”

Morey Noble emphasized that climate change presents multiple challenges affecting urban planning, food security, access to drinking water, public health and critical infrastructure. He insisted therefore that a report of such significance cannot be evaluated hastily or without proper technical and legal analysis.

“The final report of this commission should not be a mere technical document; it must serve as the foundation for transformative public policy that redefines how the central government and municipalities confront the challenges of climate change,” the lawmaker said. “To accomplish this, swift action is not enough. We need accurate data, a transparent process, and a high sense of legislative responsibility. Our decisions today will shape the environmental and economic future of Puerto Rico.”

With the extension until the end of next year, the Joint Commission will have the necessary time to complete studies, refine recommendations, and submit a proposal for legislative scrutiny that aligns with Puerto Rico’s real needs based on verifiable data, Morey Noble added.

“Climate change is not a distant threat or an abstract concern; it is an urgent reality already impacting our coasts, agricultural systems, critical infrastructure, and public health,” he said. “Our response must not be improvised or symbolic. It must be based on scientific evidence, designed strategically, and focused on achieving concrete and sustainable results that protect our people and ensure Puerto Rico’s long-term resilience.”

Act No. 33-2019 established the legal framework for developing a public policy on climate change and structured the Joint Commission with legislative and technical representation to guide the policy development process. In recent months, the group has been engaged in drafting the Climate Change Plan, which includes various adaptive and mitigation measures to tackle the climate risks facing the island. The final document will integrate proposals for resilient infrastructure, natural resource conservation, renewable energy, coastal protection, environmental education, food security, public health and climate governance.