Building Electrification: Department of Energy Defines Zero-Emissions Buildings
July 4th, 2024
Via Utility Dive, a look at new US Department of Energy regulations that will bring clarity to support decarbonization efforts and enable clean energy technologies that can make U.S. buildings more comfortable: The U.S. Department of Energy on June 6 released the first part of a national definition of a zero-emissions building intended to provide guidance that […]
Read more »Climate Havens: Can Some Cities Provide A Refuge From Extreme Weather?
July 1st, 2024
Via BBC, a report on whether those cities which are advertising themselves as ‘climate havens’ actually protect residents from extreme weather: Over the past few years, the city of Buffalo, New York, has been all over the headlines. But instead of US media focusing only on the city’s occasional epic snowstorm, Buffalo is making news […]
Read more »Charging ‘Trees’ Could Solve Cities’ Biggest Electric Car Problem
July 1st, 2024
Via The Cool Down, a look at one company’s proposed solution to make every aspect of the on-street charging experience faster and better: Photo Credit: Rangr Studio Architecture and Gravity, Inc. A startup in New York City is planning to plant a network of high-powered electric “trees” across the city. The trees could recharge electric vehicles in […]
Read more »Housing Insurance Is Melting Down In Some Markets Due to Climate Change
June 28th, 2024
Via Fortune Magazine, a report on how housing insurance is melting down in several property markets as climate change renders old assumptions obsolete The end of climate stability signals the end of the insurance market as we know it. Will it also signal the beginning of a broader understanding of physical risks by equity and […]
Read more »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 »'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.