How To Build A Heat-Resilient City
October 10th, 2023 Courtesy of Grist, a look at a model metropolis for an era of high temperatures, using the coolest technology available: Florencia Fuertes / Grist Cities are hot. When you cover the ground with [...]
Cementing Your lead: The Cement Industry In The Net-Zero Transition
October 7th, 2023 Courtesy of McKinsey, a report on the cement industry’s opportunities in the net-zero transition: Novel approaches and materials could help the cement industry transition to a decarbonized [...]
Blue Frontier and its Energy-Efficient AC
October 7th, 2023 Via MIT Technology Review, a report on a start-up company aiming to redefine air conditioning: Global demand for air conditioning is growing. But AC consumes lots of electricity, which comes mainly [...]
How Green Roofs Can Help Cities Adapt To Climate Change
October 6th, 2023 Via Yale Climate Connections, a report on how green roofs can lower energy costs, help control stormwater, and cool urban areas: In cities, you may notice some roofs that are covered with plants. [...]
Urban Forestry Is Having its Moment
October 6th, 2023 Via Yale School of the Environment, a look at urban forestry: The 2023 Hixon Center Urban Conference provided researchers and practitioners with new tactics to increase tree canopy, access funding, [...]
Sublime Systems and Its Clean Cement
October 5th, 2023 Via MIT Technology Review, a look at a firm using electrochemistry to reinvent one of the world’s dirtiest materials: Sublime Systems has invented a new way to make cement. The startup’s approach [...]

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.