The Delaware River could rise well more than a foot by midcentury, and temperatures could heat up nearly 6 degrees, accompanied by a rise in extreme heat days, according to a new report that localized data to create a snapshot of local climate change in Philadelphia.
The report came from a coalition formed in response to rallies and a petition by Drexel University students in 2019 imploring the school to take action on climate change.
After the student action, representatives from the city of Philadelphia, Drexel University, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University formed the Climate Resilience Research Agenda. The group released a report on the potential impacts of climate change Wednesday during Green Building United's annual sustainability symposium, which was held this year at Drexel.