As EV Chargers Become A Norm, Here’s How They Affect Property Value
July 13th, 2023
Via Vulcan Post, a look at how – in Malaysia – EV chargers may become a norm in residential buildings and impact property value: By 2030, the Malaysian government aims to have 100,000 electric cars, 100,000 electric motorcycles, and 2,000 electric buses on our roads. It might sound like a tall order, since it was reported in December […]
Read more »Why Insurance Companies Are Fleeing Florida
July 12th, 2023
Via HeatMap, commentary on why insurance companies are fleeing Florida – it’s not just the hurricanes: The Florida insurance market took another hit this week when Farmers announced it would pull out of the state, leaving around 100,000 customers unable to renew their policies. While the news garnered headlines, it was exceptional not so much […]
Read more »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 yesterday (July 11). The state, infamous for its hurricane seasons, has seen several insurers drop out just ahead of peak hurricane season, which tends to be […]
Read more »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 climate change. But, social benefits are also seen as users of these buildings will see improved well-being, health and productivity. One study saw […]
Read more »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 heatwaves. Ribbons of blue snake through the bird’s eye view of Prague, a cool relief from the intense patchwork of hot red, […]
Read more »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 – concrete, steel, and aluminium – are responsible for 23% of GHG emissions, as reported by Architecture 2030. Global road networks, bridges, dams, and almost every […]
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.