Crisis Resilient Urban Futures: What’s Next for Asia-Pacific Cities?
October 23rd, 2023 Via The CityFix, commentary on urban resilience in Asia: Cities have always been dynamic hubs of culture, education, economic growth and opportunity, and most importantly, centers of social [...]
The Bahamas Is Introducing the World’s First Carbon-Negative Construction Technology
October 22nd, 2023 Via Quartz, a look at a new home debuted by a sustainable materials firm that can remove as much carbon as 5,200 trees: The Bahamas has started pioneering the use of a construction material that [...]
Could Billions of Oysters Protect Us From The Next Big Storm?
October 22nd, 2023 Via National Geographic, a report on how oysters are being used to protect shorelines from storm surge and high tides and reduce the impacts of erosion from intense rain: Flash flooding in New York [...]
After its Hottest Summer On Record, Phoenix’s Mayor Outlines the City’s Future
October 21st, 2023 Courtesy of Inside Climate News, an interview with Phoenix mayor Kate Gallego how how the city is looking to address extreme heat and drought to build a more sustainable city: The Phoenix summer of [...]
Taking Action: Reducing Buildings’ Carbon Footprint
October 19th, 2023 Via Semafor, a report on an urgent climate problem finally getting some attention: A sector responsible for around a quarter of energy-related carbon emissions could drastically reduce its footprint [...]
Amassing Fans: Mass Timber Shifting How Commercial Buildings Are Built In East Texas
October 19th, 2023 Via The Texas Tribune, a report on how mass timber is growing in popularity – globally, mass timber construction projects are expected to reach more than 24,000 by 2034 – and, so far, at [...]

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.