How Heat Pumps of the 1800s are Becoming the Technology of the Future
November 4th, 2023 Via Knowable Magazine, a look at how heat pumps of the 1800s are becoming the technology of the future: It was an engineering problem that had bugged Zhibin Yu for years — but now he had the [...]
Green Construction Practices Could Unlock $1.5T Opportunity
November 3rd, 2023 Via Business Green, a look at how major emissions cuts and investment opportunities could arise from shifting to greener materials and processes in construction and buildings, according to the World [...]
The Key to a Net-Zero Future is Lower Carbon Buildings Today
November 3rd, 2023 Via Green Money, a report on need to create greener buildings: You might be surprised to learn that the buildings where we live, work, and play are some of the biggest sources of carbon emissions. [...]
Can ACs Cool the World Without Warming it?
November 1st, 2023 Courtesy of Grist, a look at if/how ACs can cool the world without warming it: A warm breeze brushes your arms as you sit lazily on the balcony. You wave to your elderly neighbor, Roy, across the [...]
Paving Pakistan’s Pathway to Efficient Cooling
October 27th, 2023 Via CLASP, a look at how – as Pakistan’s growing population tries to cope with rising temperatures – the demand for cooling is soaring. CLASP is supporting the country’s first Cooling [...]
As Stormwater and Flood Threats Change, Texas Cities Are Using Green Infrastructure To Adapt
October 25th, 2023 Via Texas Water Resource Institute, a look at how – as stormwater and flood threats change -Texas cities are using green infrastructure to adapt: How many storm drains does one residential [...]

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.