The Heads of State
Forget Bitcoin— savvy investors bet on water. Global warming is changing the planet: Melting ice caps cause floods, fresh water vanishes, rising temperatures shift arable regions and spread disease-carrying bugs. In his new book, Windfall: The Booming Business of Global Warming, McKenzie Funk investigates the profiteers cashing in on the planet’s woes. Engineers excited to see their seawall technology in action are just the tip of the iceberg—for some investors, catastrophe is a safe bet.
Insurance Companies
Like: Allstate, State Farm
How they’ll profit: More frequent natural disasters means insurers can hike rates, and natural disasters are great advertising.
Artificial-Snow Makers
Like: IDE Technologies
How they’ll profit: Snowmakers help skiers and snowboarders ignore shorter seasons and undependable weather.
Financial Service Firms
Like: Schroders, Summit Global Management
How they’ll profit: Investors are buying water rights and farmland, because drought and food shortages can mean big profit.
Oil and Natural Gas Companies
Like: Shell, BP
How they’ll profit: Melting ice will expose untapped reserves in the Arctic and newly navigable seas for smoother shipping.
Gene Giants (Big Ag and Genetic Engineers)
Like: Monsanto, Oxitec
How they’ll profit: Modified seeds fare better, and engineered mosquitoes fight the spread of diseases.
Arctic Nations
Like: Greenland, Canada, Russia
How they’ll profit: Fish, greener pastures, and water become more plentiful up north, while drought-stricken nations pay for resources.
