Revising the Earth
You can add mapmakers to the list of professionals who have to reshape their designs because of changing climate. A recent article on LiveScience.com notes that The Times Comprehensive Atlas of the World, one of the most authoritative atlases, has had to make significant revisions to some of their maps because of climate change and human construction. Most notably, the atlas includes drastic reductions in the sizes of some lakes and seas (like Lake Chad which shrunk 95% [!] since 1963), and alterations to coastlines and islands in the South Pacific. The pictures of these changes in the article are quite worrying.
While cartographers are forced to update their work because their vocation is contingent upon the Earth’s real features, Design Firms have a choice in how their projects may alter the planet. Meeting green certification standards, working with non-hazardous materials, choosing particular sites for construction, and regulating energy use all make a difference, but efforts to curb environmental impact are not without trade-offs in the levels of services, compensation, and, of course, risk. Schinnerer’s risk management services can help mitigate some of these risks. Our Green Buildings management advisory, a detailed study of wastewater claims, and our resources for environmental consultants can all help firms work toward green solutions.