8. Looking to 2080: A New Puerto Rico

After an extreme event there is a strong momentum to repair damages and resolve the problems created by the event. Money and resources are made available to those that are quick with fixes. Ideas and suggestions are abundant and come from all sectors of society. There is social license for action. However, each social sector acts independently from other sectors. There is little or no integration or search for a common vision of the future. It is a dangerous period for a SETS because the impetus for action can lead to business a usual and a repeat of past mistakes that led to the damages and problems that society is looking to avoid. This is happening in Puerto Rico at this time, when business as usual is preventing a course reversal with a radical new way of reacting to an extreme event. Governance and social actions need an overhaul in Puerto Rico. Resilience thinking, systems thinking, or SETS thinking provide a blueprint for expanding social dialogue towards greater inclusivity and consensus. It is not clear what direction Puerto Rico will take over the long-term.