Are Cities’ Long Held Plans For Extreme Heat Enough In A Warming World?
July 12th, 2023 Via AP News, a look at whether cities’ long-held plans for extreme heat are enough in a warming world:   Natural disasters can be dramatic — barreling hurricanes, building-toppling [...]
Farmers Insurance Has Lost Its Appetite For Business in Extreme Weather Hotspots
July 12th, 2023 Via Quartz, an article on Farmers Insurance decision to restrict its offerings in Florida and California: Farmers Insurance is dropping home, auto, and umbrella coverage in Florida, it announced [...]
Green Buildings Can Reduce City Temperatures By Up To 2°C
July 12th, 2023 Via World Economic Forum, a report on the need for green buildings to become the norm to improve well-being, air quality and carbon emissions” Green buildings are vital in the fight against [...]
The Simple Ways Cities Can Adapt To Heatwaves
July 12th, 2023 Courtesy of the BBC, a look at some simple ways cities can adapt to heatwaves: Satellite images reveal how green spaces, white roads and water features are helping keep cities cool during deadly [...]
Built Areas and Infrastructure: Stretching the Boundaries of Sustainability
July 11th, 2023 Via Earth.org, a look at the impact that built urban areas and infrastructure has upon sustainability: Globally, built areas account for 40% of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Three materials – [...]
Climate Disasters Daily? Welcome to the ‘New Normal.’
July 11th, 2023 Courtesy of The New York Times, a look at how  – around the United States – dangerous floods, heat and storms are happening more frequently: Catastrophic floods in the Hudson Valley. An [...]

ABOUT
BLACK SWANS GREEN SHOOTS
Black Swans / Green Shoots examines the collision between urbanization and resource scarcity in a world affected by climate change, identifying opportunities to build sustainable cities and resilient infrastructure through the use of revolutionary capital, increased awareness, innovative technologies, and smart design to make a difference in the face of global and local climate perils.

'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.