The Neglected Clean Heat We Flush Down the Drains
January 16th, 2024
Courtesy of BBC, a look at how the heat trapped in the sewerage system could be easily contained and harnessed for heating buildings cleanly – and it needn’t smell: In this part of Vancouver, innovative technology is harnessing heat from wastewater and using it as a renewable energy source to heat homes. When the occasional snowfall dusts […]
Read more »The White House Just Announced a $623 Million EV-Charging Bonanza
January 11th, 2024
Via Wired, an article on the White House announcement of grants totaling $623 million to build electric vehicle charging stations across the U.S.: As the number of electric vehicles on American roads grows, so too does the affliction of range anxiety. Drivers of conventional cars enjoy the support of a massive, well-established network of fuel […]
Read more »China Plans Two-Way Charging System Between EVs and Grids
January 11th, 2024
Via Caixin Global, a report on China’s push for ‘vehicle-grid interaction’ The central government has announced a plan to build a two-way charging system between electric vehicles (EVs) and the country’s power grids. According to the plan, EV owners can charge their vehicles during off-peak hours to enjoy lower electricity prices. During peak hours, they can send […]
Read more »How U.S. Cities Can Scale On-Site Solar with New Federal Incentives
January 11th, 2024
Via RMI, a look at how US cities can leverage the new “direct pay” mechanism build on-site solar projects for local governments: Last year, San Antonio set a new record of 75 days at or above 100°F. An innovative solar project approved by the City in November will not only provide a solution for beating the […]
Read more »How Electricity Could Help Tackle a Surprising Climate Villain: Cement
January 5th, 2024
Via MIT Technology Review, a look at how Sublime Systems is trying to drive down the carbon footprint of cement production: Cement hides in plain sight—it’s used to build everything from roads and buildings to dams and basement floors. But there’s a climate threat lurking in those ubiquitous gray slabs. Cement production accounts for more than […]
Read more »The Architect Making Friends With Flooding
January 2nd, 2024
Via MIT’s Technology Review, a report on one Chinese landscape designer who has pioneered a new approach—working with water instead of trying to bend it to our will: For years, Beijing landscape architect Yu Kongjian was ridiculed by his fellow citizens as a backward thinker. Some even called him an American spy—a nod to his […]
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.