Selling the Outcome, Not Just the Appliance: What the Clean Cooling Sector Can Learn from Clean Cooking
Via Next Billion, commentary on what the clean cooling sector can learn from clean cooking: As cooling solutions become an increasingly essential element of global climate change adaptation, the [...]
Boston Public Housing Upgrades Units With Window Heat Pumps
Courtesy of Bloomberg, a report on a pilot project aims to cut heating costs and provide air conditioning while reducing emissions: The city of Boston is using a heat pump that can be installed in [...]
Come for the Biking, Stay for the Otters
Via Bloomberg, a look at how – with tight budgets and political pushback – policymakers are pitching bike lanes that serve other green purposes like flood and habitat protection: [...]
How Cities From Tokyo to Nairobi Are Becoming Flood-Proof
Via Bloomberg, an article on the business of adaptation—investing in climate resilience—which is projected to be a $1.3 trillion market: The planet is warming faster than ever, and as it does, [...]
The Balcony Solar Boom Coming to the U.S.
Via MIT Technology Review, a look at the growing popularity of plug-in panels: Dozens of US states are considering legislation to allow people to install plug-in solar systems, often called balcony [...]
Louisiana’s Shrinking Coast Offers a Narrowing Window for Managed Retreat
Via Yale School of Environment, a report on Louisiana, which is losing its coast faster than anywhere else in the U.S. What happens next could become a blueprint — or a warning — for vulnerable [...]

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.