How to Cool Down Parks in Hot Cities
June 17th, 2024
Courtesy of Bloomberg, a look at how researchers at Princeton University are devising ways to transform green spaces into outdoor cooling centers: The drive to be outside, even in hot weather, is hard to overcome. People without air conditioning would be more likely to seek relief at their local park, according to Elie Bou-Zeid, a […]
Read more »Keeping Stormwater at Bay: A Brooklyn Green Roof Offers a Look at a Climate Resilient Future
June 15th, 2024
Via Inside Climate News, an article on how green infrastructure mitigates the impacts of stormwater on New York City’s sewer systems, limiting the flow of sewage to local waterways: Every Friday afternoon, the Kingsland Wildflower Green Roof opens its doors to the local community. Tall grass and brightly-colored flowers greet visitors after their four-floor trek […]
Read more »‘We need to make old buildings cooler’, says Bangladesh’s Chief Heat Officer
June 14th, 2024
Via Dialogue Earth, an article on efforts in Bangladesh to make old buildings cooler: In May 2023, Bangladeshi social welfare executive Bushra Afreen was appointed north Dhaka’s ‘chief heat officer’ as part of a programme by the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center that builds resilience in the face of climate impacts. Afreen is one of the […]
Read more »Researchers Are Reinventing Glass For A Warmer World
June 13th, 2024
Via Anthropocene Magazine, a look at how scientists have devised a window coating that looks like frosted glass but is brighter, provides cooling to reduce reliance on air-conditioning, and does not require cleaning: Glass walls are great for letting in natural light and brightening up living rooms and offices. But they are not the best […]
Read more »Beyond the Yuck Factor: Cities Turn to ‘Extreme’ Water Recycling
June 10th, 2024
Via Yale e360, a look at how San Francisco is at the forefront of a movement to recycle wastewater from commercial buildings, homes, and neighborhoods and use it for toilets and landscaping. This decentralized approach, proponents say, will drive down demand in an era of increasing water scarcity: In downtown San Francisco, in a cavernous […]
Read more »Mexico City’s Thirst Is Causing It To Sink
June 9th, 2024
Via The Washington Post, a look at how the demand for water in Mexico’s capital is draining its underground aquifers — and fueling some of the fastest subsidence rates in the world: On a recent morning, visitors wandered around Mexico City’s Metropolitan Cathedral, Latin America’s oldest — and one of its largest. Walking from chamber to […]
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.