San Francisco Greening its Streets
Via Robert Brears, a report on one of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s (SFPUC) flagship green street projects as part of its 2050 stormwater management goal: In most communities, [...]
Hamburg: A Future-Proof, Climate-Resilient City
Via Robert Brears, a look at how leading cities are future-proofing themselves with nature-based solutions that enhance resilience and promote biodiversity. One city leading the way is Hamburg, with [...]
World’s Tallest Wooden Wind Turbine is ‘Stronger than Steel’
Via The Next Web, a look at an interesting innovation that uses the strength of wood to harness the power of the wind: There’s a wind turbine being built in the forests of Sweden — or should I [...]
The Heat Is On: The Chilling Reality of Baking Cities
Courtesy of The Financial Times, an article on how the heat is on for urban areas to adapt as the threat grows that some may become unliveable in the not too distant future: Much of the world is [...]
As Heat Waves Intensify, Europe’s Cities Rely on Age-Old Ways to Stay Cool
Courtesy of the New York Times, a look at how architectural styles and construction materials can significantly reduce the need for air-conditioning during heat waves, according to sustainable [...]
Where The Most U.S. Residents Bake Because of Concrete and Lack of Trees
Courtesy of The Washington Post, an article on the nearly 41 million urban residents who experience higher temperatures because of the ‘heat island effect,’ according to an analysis: All U.S. [...]

ABOUT
BLACK SWANS GREEN SHOOTS
Black Swans / Green Shoots examines the collision between urbanization and resource scarcity in a world affected by climate change, identifying opportunities to build sustainable cities and resilient infrastructure through the use of revolutionary capital, increased awareness, innovative technologies, and smart design to make a difference in the face of global and local climate perils.

'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.