Photoluminescent Radiative Cooling for Aesthetic and Urban Comfort
October 26th, 2025
Via Nature, a new article examining the potential of passive radiative cooling to reduce carbon emissions in space cooling by simultaneously reflecting sunlight and emitting thermal radiation: Passive radiative cooling offers a sustainable solution to reduce carbon emissions in space cooling by simultaneously reflecting sunlight and emitting thermal radiation. However, the super-white property of conventional […]
Read more »Cleaner and Smarter: Smart Urban Districts Around the World
October 17th, 2025
Via Illuminem, a report on smart districts around the world: More than half (55%) of the world’s population now lives in cities, and by 2050 this figure will increase to 68%. Due to demographic shifts and urbanization, about 2.5 billion people will appear in megacities by mid-century, according to UN forecasts. At the same time, about […]
Read more »The Bus Stop: A Living Ad for Nature
September 14th, 2025
Via the Washington Post, a look at the role for green bus stops to play in the battle against climate change: Bus shelters tend to be practical, utility-oriented, no-frills structures. They offer protection from the elements. Seating for while you wait. Maybe an ad to grab your attention. But a green bus stop movement is […]
Read more »The Future of Home-Building Is Here, But We’re Behind.
August 20th, 2025
Via the Washington Post, commentary on how the Trump administration’s decision to cut grants for materials development has impacted innovations that could reduce construction costs: Every home starts with basic components: concrete for foundations, steel or wood for framing, glass for windows and chemicals for insulation and finishes. These can account for half of total construction […]
Read more »Paris Braces for a Future of Possibly Paralyzing Heat
August 18th, 2025
Courtesy of the New York Times, a report on how Paris city planners are preparing for the day when temperatures as high as 122 degrees Fahrenheit, or 50 Celsius, could stall the French capital: Imagine Paris at 122 degrees Fahrenheit, or 50 Celsius. The asphalt streets would melt in spots, making it virtually impossible for […]
Read more »Spain’s Old Ways May Show How to Keep Cool
August 18th, 2025
Courtesy of The New York Times, a look at how Spain has been living with extreme heat for centuries, and its people have ways of coping: Javier Recio held a lawn chair like a parasol over his mother’s head. The two had given up on sitting outside and were walking home through one of the […]
Read more »'Black Swans' are highly improbable events that come as a surprise, have major disruptive effects, and that are often rationalized after the fact as if they had been predictable to begin with. In our rapidly warming world, such events are occurring ever more frequently and include wildfires, floods, extreme heat, and drought.
'Green Shoots' is a term used to describe signs of economic recovery or positive data during a downturn. It references a period of growth and recovery, when plants start to show signs of health and life, and, therefore, has been employed as a metaphor for a recovering economy.
It is my hope that Black Swans / Green Shoots will help readers understand both climate-activated risk and opportunity so that you may invest in, advise, or lead organizations in the context of increasing pressures of global urbanization, resource scarcity, and perils relating to climate change. I believe that the tools of business and finance can help individuals, businesses, and global society make informed choices about who and what to protect, and I hope that this blog provides some insight into the policy and private sector tools used to assess investments in resilient reinforcement, response, or recovery.