June 2, 2006—Former president Bill Clinton challenged the real estate industry recently to play its part to address the 21st-century challenges of a rapidly changing world.
In his opening address at the International Council of Shopping Centers 48th annual Spring Convention in Las Vegas, Clinton told an audience of several thousand that “interdependence” should be the watchword of the new century. For better and sometimes for worse, he declared, “We have never been this tied together.”
To address the twin threats of global warming and the energy crisis, Clinton proposed bold investment in alternative energy sources. That, he said, would create millions of new jobs, free the US from dependence on unreliable oil sources and help counter the effects of climate change.
Noting that his presidential library was awarded a LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council for its environmentally friendly features, Clinton urged the audience, “You ought to make sure every development you build gets one of these.”
Founded in 1957, the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) is the global trade association of the shopping center industry. For more information, visit the ICSC Web site.
