Extreme weather events, such as heat waves, droughts or floods, have occurred globally this summer.

Reporting by Diane Hoskins for CNN Business Perspectives

For years, we have been witnessing rising sea levels and extreme weather events around us that threaten real estate portfolios.

The profound effects of climate change on us are and will continue to be profound as regards human life.

The only solution is practical, immediate action.

Carbon-neutral declarations, science-based goals, and promises in international fora like the United Nations Climate Change Conference will not be quite enough.

Commercial buildings traditionally utilise concrete and steel to build buildings, along with others often used on carbon-intensive materials such as foam insulation, plastics and aluminium.

And, because almost 75% of all raw material in the US is used to build buildings, the deliberate decisions made when we buy, build; and complete our development projects will ultimately have a lasting impact on the environment as much as possible.


Climate change

Climate change includes both global warming driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns. (wikipedia)


Gensler

Gensler is a global design and architecture firm, founded in San Francisco, US in 1965. In 2017, Gensler generated $1.197 billion in revenue, the most of any architecture firm in the US. As of 2021, (wikipedia)


Diane Hoskins

Diane Hoskins is an American businessperson and architect who currently serves as a Co-CEO of Gensler, the world’s largest revenue-generating architecture firm, alongside Co-CEO Andy Cohen. (wikipedia)

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Individual action on climate change

Individual action on climate change can include personal choices in many areas, such as diet, means of long- and short-distance travel, household energy use, consumption of goods and services, (wikipedia)