How Do You Stop A Megacity From Going Under Water?
April 1st, 2025
Via BBC, a report on Bangkok, a megacity going under water: Bangkok is a mega city of more than 10 million people, the economic powerhouse of Southeast Asia and one of the world’s most visited cities. Billions of dollars worth of new luxury real estate is planned as huge skyscrapers pierce the sky and become […]
Read more »Flood and Drought Risk Increasing In Cities
March 18th, 2025
Via BBC, a look at the growing water-related risks facing cities: The world’s 100 most populated cities are becoming increasingly exposed to flooding and drought, according to new research. Charity WaterAid worked with the University of Bristol and Cardiff University on a study using data on climate hazards. The research found that 17% of the […]
Read more »The UK Is Losing the Race Against Devastating Floods
December 13th, 2024
Via Bloomberg, a look at how a first-of-its-kind insurance program bought some in the UK time to shore up flood defenses, but exclusive data shows that isn’t happening quickly enough: About 900 years ago, Medieval monks began resurrecting an expanse of land in southwest England that languished underwater for half the year. Stone by stone, […]
Read more »Hurricane Helene Destroyed Roads. Here’s How to Rebuild—and Flood-Proof Them for Next Time
October 5th, 2024
Via Wired, a look at how – as it becomes clear that climate change devastation can hit anywhere – engineers are considering how best to protect vital thoroughfares from intense storms: A week after Hurricane Helene ripped through the southeastern United States, parts of western North Carolina devastated by the storm are still facing more than […]
Read more »Climate Change Is Destroying American Homes. Who Should Have To Move?
October 2nd, 2024
Via Grist, commentary on how it’s unfair to force people out of their homes, but we have to do it anyway: Consider the following scenario: A local government wants to relocate a neighborhood that is vulnerable to climate change. The streets have flooded several times in recent years during major storms, and projections indicate that […]
Read more »Before The Floods, Asheville Was Called A ‘Climate Haven.’ Is Anywhere Safe?
October 1st, 2024
Via The Washington Post, a look at how – as climate change leads to more severe hurricanes – mountain communities like Asheville, N.C., face growing flood danger: Asheville, N.C., seemed like an ideal place to escape the worst effects of global warming. In recent years, media outlets and real estate agents named the city a […]
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.