Which Coastal Cities are Sinking the Fastest?
February 16th, 2025
Via Visual Capitalist, a look at which coastal cities are sinking the fastest: With sea levels rising, there is cause for concern about the livability of major coastal cities—often huge centers of trade and commerce, and homes to millions of people. But an overlooked area is how coastal cities are themselves sinking—a phenomenon called relative local land […]
Read more »Why Los Angeles Burned
February 15th, 2025
Via Rolling Stone, a report on how the recent Los Angeles wildfires show how unprepared we are for life on a hotter planet: We’re in serious trouble. That’s the message I saw written in the ashes of Los Angeles. And by “we,” I mean every human on this planet, rich or poor, young or old, […]
Read more »Climate Change Could Submerge The Gambia’s Capital
January 30th, 2025
Via Dialogue Earth, a look at how climate change could submerge The Gambia’s capital and some natural solutions to help hold back the tide: The existence of Gambia’s capital, Banjul, is under threat from rising sea levels and flash flooding. Many people, including residents and fishers, have been displaced, while businesses and offices have moved […]
Read more »Cooling People, Not Spaces: Surmounting the Risks of Air-Conditioning Over-Reliance
January 24th, 2025
Via UPENN’s Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, a look at ways to overcome the risks of air conditioning over-reliance: At A Glance Key Challenge Overreliance on AC worsens climate change through energy use and refrigerant leaks, also harming health in low-income homes. Sustainable cooling solutions like passive design and hybrids exist but face adoption barriers—both […]
Read more »Climate-Driven Sea Level Rise Will Overwhelm Major Oil Ports
January 22nd, 2025
Via The Guardian, an article on a rather ‘ironic’ projection that climate-driven sea level rise will overwhelm major oil ports in Saudi Arabia, the US, and worldwide: projected to be seriously damaged by a metre of sea level rise Rising sea levels driven by the climate crisis will overwhelm many of the world’s biggest oil […]
Read more »Hard Truth: India’s Coasts Are Eroding As States Fail To Plan Properly
January 20th, 2025
Via Dialogue Earth, a report on how hard structures are still being built for erosion control in India, despite a national court ruling against them: Arichal Munai Beach lies at the eastern tip of Rameswaram Island, in southern India’s Tamil Nadu state, just past the abandoned village of Dhanushkodi. Looking out onto the Gulf of […]
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.