Urban Growth Fuels Extreme Heat
July 31st, 2023
Courtesy of the Wall Street Journal, a compilation of satellite photos that shows how the growth of cities in the U.S. southwest is contributing to the crushing heat which is driving temperatures in Phoenix and Las Vegas to record triple-digit highs.
Read more »The Heat Is On: The Chilling Reality of Baking Cities
July 30th, 2023
Courtesy of The Financial Times, an article on how the heat is on for urban areas to adapt as the threat grows that some may become unliveable in the not too distant future: Much of the world is sweltering under near record-breaking temperatures. Future heatwaves are set to be more frequent, intense and prolonged. The […]
Read more »As Heat Waves Intensify, Europe’s Cities Rely on Age-Old Ways to Stay Cool
July 30th, 2023
Courtesy of the New York Times, a look at how architectural styles and construction materials can significantly reduce the need for air-conditioning during heat waves, according to sustainable architecture experts: There is no single architectural technique that can solve the problem of sweltering heat, which has gripped large parts of Europe this summer. But on […]
Read more »There’s Not Enough Land To Solve Climate Change With Wood Buildings and Biofuels
July 28th, 2023
Via Semafor, a report on the potential limitations related to the plan to address climate change with wood buildings and biofuels: Policymakers misunderstand the carbon footprint of plant-based resources: That’s the underlying conclusion of a new report from the World Resources Institute, which found that deforestation is set to soar in the coming decades as the world’s […]
Read more »‘Next Chapter’ in Decarbonization: Buildings’ Emissions
July 27th, 2023
Via Big Pivots, commentary on what some see as the ‘next chapter’ in decarbonization – weaning buildings off combustion of gases: Colorado is starting another chapter in what could be a future history book, “How We Decarbonized our Economy.” In that book, electricity will be the easy part, at least the storyline through 80% to […]
Read more »Paris When It Sizzles: The City of Light Aims to Get Smart on Heat
July 26th, 2023
Via Yale e360, a report on how Paris – with its zinc roofs and minimal tree cover – was not built to handle the new era of extreme heat, but is now looking at ways to adapt to rising temperatures — planting rooftop terraces, rethinking its pavements, and greening its boulevards: There’s a long tradition […]
Read more »'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.