Batteries and Rooftop Solar Can Lead to Huge Savings for the Entire Grid
June 28th, 2024
Via Inside Climate News, a report on a new study that shows the benefits of batteries and rooftop solar for the enitre grid: The growth of customer-owned solar and batteries can help to reduce wear and tear on the grid and save ratepayers money. How much money? A new paper from University of Texas at Austin researchers […]
Read more »Desert Saudi City Will Turn Green In $23 Billion Project
June 28th, 2024
Via Newsweek, a report on Riyadh’s plans to turn green in a a $23B project: Saudi Arabia aims to turn its arid capital into a desert oasis, though the ambitious project may encounter issues that have plagued the kingdom’s other sustainability-focused initiatives. Nicknamed “Green Riyadh,” the urban forestation effort aims to improve the air quality […]
Read more »Three Ideas to Beat the Heat, and the People Who Made Them Happen
June 26th, 2024
Via the New York Times, a look at how – as temperatures soar around the world – practical experiments are emerging to protect people: An app that helps people find relief from the heat. A tiny insurance policy that pays working women when temperatures soar. Local laws that help outdoor workers get water and shade […]
Read more »Dubai to Boost Rainwater Drainage System with $8.2B Project
June 26th, 2024
Via Reuters, a report on Dubai’s plans to boost its rainwater drainage system with $8.2 billion project: Dubai will spend 30 billion dirhams ($8.2 billion) to boost its rainwater drainage system after the Gulf city was hit by the heaviest downpours recorded in the UAE in 75 years in April. Dubai, widely considered the Gulf’s tourism and […]
Read more »The U.S. Is Finally Making Serious Efforts To Adapt To Climate Change
June 25th, 2024
Via Yale Climate Connections, a report on a major bill before U.S. Congress which could help the country prepare for the coming climate storm: Like an approaching major hurricane whose outer spiral bands are only just beginning to hit, an approaching climate change storm has begun and will soon grow to ferocious severity. This immense […]
Read more »In Graphic Detail: As Sea Levels Rise, Insurance Retreats
June 20th, 2024
Courtesy of Hakai Magazine, an illustrated look at when insurance companies will call it quits on New Zealand’s coastal communities: West of New Zealand’s biggest city, Auckland, the coastal community of Muriwai, population 1,410, is well known for its black-sand beach, gannet colony, and relaxed vibe. But in February 2023, Cyclone Gabrielle devastated the settlement. […]
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.