📊 EV’s Charts of the Week #33
Welcome to charts of the week. This is a member’s-only mailout, but you are free to occasionally forward it to a friend if you think they will enjoy it.
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A brief note about charts of the week. Please do use the comment feature. EV has the most amazing, thoughtful community, and this feature is a great place to explore key issues with your fellow members.
DEPARTMENT OF CLIMATE CHANGE
The interconnected climate
The devastating 2019 fires in the Amazon have largely been attributed to deforestation and local effects of climate change. A new study, however, finds a much more global influence on the fires. Via Science Direct
It’s getting hot in here
A way to visualise the current global heatwave. Via Climate Reanalyzer
Putting a heatwave in context
Predicted temp of ~110F is unheard of.#Rstats pic.twitter.com/VTKEjeL84Q
Seattle is in the grips of a historic heatwave. Current readings are unheard of. Infrastructure in nearby Portland is, literally, melting. Via Kristen Panthagani
More use, more heat
Data from recent heatwaves in the United States shows that rising temperatures drove higher energy consumption. A vicious cycle, driven by air conditioners, amongst other things. Via Boston Globe
DEPARTMENT OF POST-PANDEMIC RECOVERY
Innovate or lag
The pandemic revealed faultlines in how companies operate and adapt to unpredictable events. Innovative ones, even non-digital innovators, turn out to be more resilient and adaptable in the face of crisis. (A counterargument would have been that innovation creates risky, untested processes within organisations, making them less able to contend with shocks. This data suggests that that argument is false.) Via BCG
Restructuring the workforce
HR job postings are climbing because companies understand the ongoing need to restructure their workforce to adapt to market conditions. Via Jed Kolko
Urban flight
The cost of a house in leading US central business districts fell in 2020-21, while prices climbed in areas outside the city centres. Does this speak to a permanent shift in work-life patterns? Via TS Lombard
DEPARTMENT OF COVID IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH
Dismal rates
South Africa entered another hard lockdown this week as the Delta variant took hold of the country. Compounding matters are dismal vaccination rates in the country and across Africa. Via FT
Rampage in Africa
The number of new Covid infections in Africa is hard to get one’s head around. This chart helps put things in perspective. Via Philip Schellekens
From bad to worse
The return of hard lockdowns in some Global South countries means hard-hit economies will continue to contract. Where will the relief come from? Via World Bank
DEPARTMENT OF LONG TERM INVESTING
Come late, leave early
Retail investors in any rising asset tend to come late and leave early. Crypto has proven to be no exception. Long-term holders of Bitcoin, as the chart above demonstrates, are sticking around. Via Glassnode
Trending downward
The Bitcoin hash rate, a steady indicator of the cryptocurrency’s strength, is trending downward. Via Glassnode
Late interest
The last year has been a big one for late-stage VC-backed crypto and blockchain companies. With A16Z’s new $2.2bn cryptofund, more capital has shown up. And trad-fi firms are making serious commitments too: consider staid Deutsche Börse’s deal to acquire a majority stake in CryptoFinance AG.  Via Pitchbook
AND FINALLY
Turkey and China’s BRI
Turkey’s role in China’s Belt and Road Initiative is often overlooked but it’s crucial for trade links between Central and West Asia. The first cargo train from Turkey arrived in China along this route in December 2020. Via IISS
Falling off a cliff
A breathtaking chart showing the falling price of lithium-ion batteries. Via IEEE Spectrum
Endnote
🤩 Don’t forget to pre-order my first book. Early orders help drive momentum. (As a reader of Exponential View, I’m pretty certain you’ll want to read it.)
Cheers,
Azeem
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