US Cities Could Be Capturing Billions of Gallons of Rain a Day
March 2nd, 2024 Via Wired, a report on how – with better infrastructure and “spongy” green spaces – U.S. urban areas have made progress but should be soaking up way more free stormwater: YOUR CITY [...]
What Will It Take to Save Our Cities from a Scorching Future?
March 1st, 2024 Via Yale e360, an interview with Eleni Myrivili, the UN’s first-ever global chief heat officer based on her record as a city official in Athens, discussing why extreme heat is a health crisis [...]
South African City Copes With Climate Change by Chopping Down Trees
March 1st, 2024 Courtesy of The Washington Post, an interesting look at one city’s controversial approach to urban greenery as it responds to climate change: Climate change is already taking a severe toll on [...]
Singapore’s System To Collect Rainwater, Treat Sewage, and Desalinate Seawater
March 1st, 2024 Via Fast Company, a look at Singapore’s cutting-edge system that collects rainwater, treats sewage, and desalinates seawater: A crack of thunder booms as dozens of screens in a locked office [...]
The Cities Stripping Out Concrete For Earth and Plants
February 28th, 2024 Courtesy of BBC, a report on how cities are replacing built infrastructure with natural solutions: From Australia to Ontario, cities are taking up unnecessary stretches of concrete and asphalt, [...]
The Colorado Community Already Living In An All-Electric Future
February 28th, 2024 Via Canary Media, a report on Colorado’s Geos net-zero community, offering a glimpse into what a decarbonized neighborhood can look like: (Alison F. Takemura/Canary Media) On a gray Saturday, [...]

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.