Climate Change: A Crisis and an Opportunity
The Beacon at The Tower at PNC Plaza visualizes how the building maximizes its use of natural resources. Image © Chris Leonard.
Last year was a rough year for climate action advocates, particularly in the United States. We witnessed one of the three warmest years recorded; historic lows in Arctic sea ice; devastating hurricanes and flooding in Texas, the Caribbean, and Florida; and record-breaking wild fires throughout California. A report released in June by scientists from 13 federal agencies concluded that barring drastic action to reduce carbon emissions, we would likely see a 5 degree Celsius or more increase in temperature by end of the century, which would result in crop yields plunging, electricity consumption spikes, and untold damage to coastal cities.