Continued use of fossil fuels is worsening the impact of climate change on the Great Lakes region. Communities continue to experience significant heat waves, severe flooding events, and more violent storms. While the burning of dirty fossil fuels provided major cities across the Great Lakes Region with the power they needed to grow, that growth has come at considerable cost to our environment, climate, and public health.
The climate is changing over the Great Lakes and is projected to change even more. The projected global average temperatures are expected to rise an additional 2.7°F to 7.2°F if greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels in energy and transportation systems continue to rise over the 21st century.
Fortunately, there are now clean energy solutions that allow us to meet our energy needs, and eliminate the pollution from fossil fuels. Thanks to many years of research and innovation solar and wind energy are now among the most affordable sources of energy available.