Roots of Resilience: How Trees Can Help Fight Rising Heat In Arid Cities
September 14th, 2024 Via The Nature Conservancy, a report on new science that shows increasing greening programs in arid cities could reduce air temperatures near people’s homes by an average of 0.5 degrees C: As [...]
Why Schools Are Ripping Up Playgrounds Across The U.S.
September 14th, 2024 Courtesy of The Washington Post, a look at how projects to plant trees, build shade structures and reduce the amount of pavement around schools have become high-priority as schoolyards become [...]
Seeing The Forest Beyond The Trees: Extreme Heat Governance in Jakarta
September 14th, 2024 Via Illuminem, an article on extreme heat governance in Jakarta: Over the past 30 years, the world’s 20 largest cities have seen a 52% increase in days exceeding 35°C. This alarming trend [...]
After a Record Hot Summer, Pressure Grows for A/C Mandates
September 12th, 2024 Via Bloomberg, a look at how lawmakers and advocates from NYC to Ontario are considering new policies to protect tenants from extreme heat: Heating on cold days is a widespread requirement for rental [...]
As Phoenix Deals With Record Heat, Other Cities Using Similar Approaches
September 12th, 2024 Via KJZZ, a look at how other cities are learning from Phoenix’s approach to record heat: Phoenix continues to set heat records this summer, but other communities have also seen an increase in [...]
Climate Security = National Security: Securing Our Future in a Hotter, More Dangerous World
September 10th, 2024 Courtesy of Scientific American, commentary on how defending the U.S. is much more complicated in an era of climate change: Flying by helicopter over the Greenland ice sheet, I am struck by its vast [...]

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.