Archive for the ‘Drought’ Category

After its Hottest Summer On Record, Phoenix’s Mayor Outlines the City’s Future

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 2023 was one for the record books. For 54 days straight—36 more than the previous record—the hottest city in the country […]

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Water Authority Moves To Conserve On Cooling Systems In Southern Nevada

Via the Las Vegas Sun, a report that the Southern Nevada Water Authority has banned high-consumption evaporative systems in new commercial buildings amid drought: The Southern Nevada Water Authority has banned evaporative cooling in new commercial buildings because the systems are one of largest consumers of water in Clark County. The ban went into effect […]

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China: An Adaptation Advantage?

Courtesy of The Wire China, a look at China’s efforts to mobilize to adapt and thrive in a rapidly warming world. If it succeeds, the geopolitical consequences will be profound. Is America ready? On an August day last year, Xi Jinping visited Saihanba National Forest Park to inspect the trees and flowers.  Spanning nearly 200,000 acres northwest of […]

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Beyond the Yuck Factor: Cities Turn to ‘Extreme’ Water Recycling

Via Yale e360, a report on how San Francisco is at the forefront of a movement to recycle wastewater from commercial buildings, homes, and neighborhoods and use it for toilets and landscaping. This decentralized approach, proponents say, will drive down demand in an era of increasing water scarcity. In downtown San Francisco, in a cavernous […]

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Frigid US City Becomes Haven In Climate Change Era

Via Terra Daily, a look at one U.S. city that may become a haven in the climate change era: Standing on the frigid coast of Lake Superior, thawing ice glistening in the northern Minnesota sun, Christina Welch recalls what made her trade the temperate vineyards of northern California for the notoriously chilly city of Duluth.In 2017, […]

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Heat Insurance Offers Climate Change Lifeline To Poor Workers

Via Reuters, an article on some innovative insurance schemes launched for heat, cyclones, and drought: A bright sun beat down on the sprawling Indian market where Kamlaben Ashokbhai Patni sat worrying about the brass jewellery on display in her wooden stall. When the heat rises, the metal blackens. Plastic pearls become unglued. “The colour of […]

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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.