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James P. Collins

@jpcollins.me

1.1K followers 840 following 93 posts

PhD, UNC Planning — (non)migration and well-being in changing environments — jpcollins.me

Environmental science 43%

Biology 17%

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James P. Collins @jpcollins.me · Nov 16

hi new folks!

I’m a PhD student at UNC Chapel Hill planning studying climate adaptation, (non)migration, and well-being. ⚠️🧪🏡

My current project describes built and behavioral adaptations in rural communities facing chronic coastal flooding. sunny-day-flooding-project.github.io/carteret-flo...

Chronic coastal flooding tolerance in rural North Carolina

We asked rural communities how they are dealing with chronic flooding from changes in tides, wind, and rainfall.

sunny-day-flooding-project.github.io

Reposted by James P. Collins

Charter School Abolitionist 🇮🇷 @maniccage.bsky.social · 24d

This baby gets 65 miles per cheesecake slice

Reposted by Valerie M. Delmotte, Sonia I. Seneviratne, James P. Collins , and 4 more Valerie M. Delmotte, Sonia I. Seneviratne, James P. Collins, Ben Bond‐Lamberty, Wim Thiery, Gavin A. Schmidt, Matthias Schmelzer

Yann Quilcaille @yannquilcaille.bsky.social · 29d

🚨 Important paper in Nature: "Systematic attribution of heatwaves to the emissions of carbon majors".

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Systematic attribution of heatwaves to the emissions of carbon majors - Nature

Climate change made 213 historical heatwaves reported over 2000–2023 more likely and more intense, to which each of the 180 carbon majors (fossil fuel and cement producers) substantially contributed.

Reposted by James P. Collins

Brooke Jarvis @brookejarvis.bsky.social · 29d

“For us, it was quite clear that climate change does impact our basic human rights."

For the NYT Magazine's climate issue, I wrote about a group of law students from the South Pacific whose clarity and tenacity helped reshape international law

gift link: www.nytimes.com/2025/09/10/m...

How a Group of Students in the Pacific Islands Reshaped Global Climate Law

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by James P. Collins, James A. Tyner, Keith Lilley , and 1 more James P. Collins, James A. Tyner, Keith Lilley, Kate Lowe

Lindsay Naylor @lbnaylor.bsky.social · 29d

Come work with us!!
The Department of Geography & Spatial Sciences (GEOG) is seeking applications and nominations for the position of Department Chair at the rank of full professor with tenure--human geography specialization.
#geosky #geogchat

group photo of department under 100 years of geography banner.

Reposted by James P. Collins, Scott A. Imberman

Colin Carlson @colincarlson.bsky.social · Sep 6

Our lab at Yale literally studies government suppression of outbreak reporting. Please: don't promote unverifiable reports from anonymous accounts. They're very likely to be false, and it boosts unreliable actors. (If this is happening, I suspect CDC sources know how to text a journalist just fine.)

"Just spoke with my CDC sources.

They said RFK Jr. has ordered officials to hide tuberculosis cases, even as three active TB cases were just reported in Maine. He's also suppressing bird flu reports.

Pandemics don't start with viruses they start with secrecy.

RFK Jr. must resign now!"

Reposted by James P. Collins, John Hogan

Chris Hayes @chrislhayes.bsky.social · Aug 28

There is a VERY strong reason to think that moving from private to public insurance will lead to political pressure that keeps premiums artificially low and incentivizes building in the riskiest areas. (See federal flood insurance)

Reposted by James P. Collins, Evan Roberts

Steve Koller @stevekoller.bsky.social · Aug 19

Seminal paper published by Althoff et al. in Nature last week.

"...moving from a less walkable (25th percentile) city to a more walkable city (75th percentile) increased walking by 1,100 daily steps, on average."

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Countrywide natural experiment links built environment to physical activity - Nature

By analysing the smartphone data of 2,112,288 participants, in particular observing and comparing the activity of the same individual in two different environments, we find that increases in the walka...

Reposted by James P. Collins, Du Toit

James P. Collins @jpcollins.me · Jul 29

concise and informative. many deferred investments. no immediate substitute.

Michael Lowry @michaelrlowry.bsky.social · Jul 28

If you think I've forgotten about the hurricane satellites, think again. The Navy is permanently unplugging them this week, on the brink of the busiest stretch of the season. There's so much more to this story, and I have the latest scoop. ⬇️

Navy Set to Unplug Critical Hurricane Satellites this Week

Abrupt termination of satellite data by U.S. Department of Defense sends forecasters scrambling for a fix on the brink of the busiest stretch of the hurricane season

michaelrlowry.substack.com

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell, Kimberly A. Prather, Joe R. Feagin , and 9 more Jennifer Bussell, Kimberly A. Prather, Joe R. Feagin, Brendan Nyhan, James P. Collins, Shawn Cole, Paul Davies, Dawn J. Wright, Daniel W. Drezner, Iceland, Michael Jones‐Correa, Andrew Watkins

Michael Lowry @michaelrlowry.bsky.social · Jul 28

If you think I've forgotten about the hurricane satellites, think again. The Navy is permanently unplugging them this week, on the brink of the busiest stretch of the season. There's so much more to this story, and I have the latest scoop. ⬇️

Navy Set to Unplug Critical Hurricane Satellites this Week

Abrupt termination of satellite data by U.S. Department of Defense sends forecasters scrambling for a fix on the brink of the busiest stretch of the hurricane season

michaelrlowry.substack.com

Reposted by James P. Collins

UNC Dept of Earth, Marine & Environmental Sciences @unc-emes.bsky.social · Dec 9

Good morning DC and happy first day of #AGU24!

We're starting the week off with three oral presentations and one eLightning session!

@whyana.bsky.social

Department of Earth, Marine and Environmental Sciences
Oral and eLightning Presentations
Monday, December 9
9:30 146B
Role of Natural Levees in Promoting Depositional Disequilibria in Salt Marshes (EP11B-07)
Joshua Himmelstein
Graduate Student
11:40 146B
Constraints on Photomineralization of Dissolved Organic Matter Across the Lake-to-Channel Connectivity Spectrum in an Inland Boreal Delta (EP12B-09)
Dr. Wayana Dolan
PhD ‘23
16:00 - 17:30 eLightning Theater 6
Multihazard Flood Modeling: From Inland to Coast I eLightning (NH14C)
Co-convened by Lauren Grimley
Graduate Student
17:20 204A-C
Modeling Acoustic Waves from Simulated Fire Sources Using 3-D Finite Difference Method (S14A-09)
Isaac Bauer
Undergraduate Student

Reposted by James P. Collins

UNC Dept of Earth, Marine & Environmental Sciences @unc-emes.bsky.social · Dec 12

To start off #AGU24 Day 4, graduate students Jack Baer and Hunter Quintal will be in oral sessions this morning as presenter and co-convener!
@hquintal.bsky.social

Department of Earth, Marine and Environmental Sciences
Oral Presentations
Thursday, December 12
9:20 144A-C
Moving Beyond the Design Storm: Probabilistic Flood Hazard Mapping Using Modified Stochastic Storm Transposition (H41F-06)
Jack Baer
Graduate Student
8:30 - 10:00 Salon A
Analysis of Urban Hazard Inequities Across Scales: Connecting Regional to Local Urban Dynamics and Policy I Oral (GC41A)
Co-convened by Hunter Quintal
Graduate Student

Reposted by James P. Collins

Joost de Gouw @gouwlab.bsky.social · Jan 21

Many, many people are reaching out with questions about the impact of the LA fires on their homes and environment. There are some things we can say based on the research that was done after the Marshall Fire in Colorado. Here is a short thread to summarize what was learned. @ciresnews.bsky.social

Reposted by James P. Collins

Korie Dean @koriedean.bsky.social · Jan 24

New: UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts said today the university will “comply with any requests from law enforcement” regarding undocumented students www.newsobserver.com/news/local/e...

UNC-Chapel Hill will ‘comply’ if ICE seeks students on campus, chancellor says

Schools and colleges are no longer considered “sensitive” spaces protected from immigration officials, under a new directive from the Department of Homeland Security.

www.newsobserver.com

Reposted by James P. Collins

MaggieBeth 🪐🔭 @maggiebeth.space · Jan 27

Seeing that NSF panels are being cancelled. How will this affect the GRFP? I’m sure there will be some impact, similar to NIH panel cancellations leading to some grad programs reducing the number of spots for this year. 🔭🧪

Reposted by James P. Collins

5 Calls @5calls.org · Jan 28

Trump's federal funding freeze is blatantly unconstitutional, only Congress has the power to spend federal dollars. Tell your reps to support a resolution opposing the freeze now:

Block Trump's Unconstitutional Federal Funding Freeze ⭑ 5 Calls

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is a crucial federal agency tasked with oversight and administration of the federal budget. In a blatantly …

Reposted by James P. Collins

AAUP @aaup.org · Jan 29

Attacks against our right to teach, research, and advocate for higher education as a public good, are increasingly rapidly.

Join our movement to organize for a better future for all higher ed workers:

www.organizeeverycampus.org

Organize Every Campus

www.organizeeverycampus.org

Reposted by James P. Collins

Lauren Rosenthal @laurenthal.bsky.social · Apr 1

The National Weather Service will stop issuing forecasts + storm warnings in Spanish after a translation software contract lapsed at midnight Tuesday. Unclear when/if service will return.

Scoop with @weathersullivan.bsky.social (free link):
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

US Weather Forecasts in Spanish to Vanish as Translations Expire

The US National Weather Service has allowed a contract with a foreign-language translation service to expire, creating a potential gap in local-language forecasting just as spring brings a higher risk...

www.bloomberg.com

Reposted by James P. Collins

Susan Crawford @scrawford.bsky.social · Jun 3

A financial time bomb: the alarming intersection of mortgage lending, physical climate risk, and federal policy. Nonbank lenders financing homes in high-risk areas, GSE privatization retaining an "implied guarantee"--all muting market signals. susanpcrawford.substack.com/p/its-still-...

It's still easy to buy a home in a climate risky area. It's harder to sell it.

Fintech lenders are more likely to approve loans in high climate risk areas, but property values in those areas are dropping.

susanpcrawford.substack.com

Reposted by James P. Collins, Clark Gray

Helena Garcia @hmgarciaaa.bsky.social · Jul 14

Check out our new paper in Earth’s Future!

We mapped 78 flood events in eastern NC from 1996-2020 and found flooding (& repeat flooding) is more common than we previously thought.

Paper: agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...
Data (NC-FLDEX): dataverse.unc.edu/dataset.xhtm...

agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Reposted by James P. Collins

ProPublica @propublica.org · Jul 19

In a 2000 oral history, one Kerr County resident remembered when his father, in 1959, tried to warn a new resident about building a house close to the river.

“It’s going to surprise newcomers when we get another flood like the ’32 flood," he said.

By @loganjaffe.bsky.social

Texas Officials Say They Didn’t See the Flood Coming. Oral Histories Show Residents Have Long Warned of Risks.

After a tragedy, records from local archives can help us understand how a community understands itself. Here’s some of what we learned following the devastating July 4 flooding in Texas.

www.propublica.org

Reposted by James P. Collins

americaadapts.org @americaadapts.bsky.social · Jul 23

🎙️ New podcast episode of America Adapts!

Inside the MR2025 Conference:
→ Climate mobility
→ Managed retreat
→ Real estate + risk
→ A global call from 🇨🇷 Pres. Carlos Alvarado

Retreat isn’t failure—it’s adaptation.

🎧 Listen!

Inside the MR2025 Conference: Planning for Adaptation, Mobility and Relocation in a Warming World — AMERICA ADAPTS The Climate Change Podcast

Inside the MR2025 Conference: Planning for Adaptation, Mobility and Relocation in a Warming World. Ep. 233.

www.americaadapts.org

James P. Collins @jpcollins.me · Jul 19

feeling the value of local archives and community history. also, in this history, that a longtime resident tried to directly guide new development away from hazard

ProPublica @propublica.org · Jul 19

In a 2000 oral history, one Kerr County resident remembered when his father, in 1959, tried to warn a new resident about building a house close to the river.

“It’s going to surprise newcomers when we get another flood like the ’32 flood," he said.

By @loganjaffe.bsky.social

Texas Officials Say They Didn’t See the Flood Coming. Oral Histories Show Residents Have Long Warned of Risks.

After a tragedy, records from local archives can help us understand how a community understands itself. Here’s some of what we learned following the devastating July 4 flooding in Texas.

www.propublica.org

James P. Collins @jpcollins.me · Jul 19

the stage hunting this year has been much more thrilling thrilling than the gc. Ben Healy!

James P. Collins @jpcollins.me · Jul 16

great new work led by my colleague Helena. over twenty years of building damage from #flooding mapped in eastern NC. repetitive flooding more common than previously thought. methods could be applied nationally. 🧪⚠️

Helena Garcia @hmgarciaaa.bsky.social · Jul 14

Check out our new paper in Earth’s Future!

We mapped 78 flood events in eastern NC from 1996-2020 and found flooding (& repeat flooding) is more common than we previously thought.

Paper: agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...
Data (NC-FLDEX): dataverse.unc.edu/dataset.xhtm...

agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Reposted by James P. Collins

Steve Koller @stevekoller.bsky.social · Jun 24

As this week's heatwave bears down on parts of the US, important to highlight many households in heat-exposed areas either 1. don't have air conditioning, or 2. can't afford to run their ACs.

E.g., in NYC ~10% of households don't have AC. In contrast to...(1/2)

a816-dohbesp.nyc.gov/IndicatorPub...

Protecting New Yorkers from extreme heat – Environment & Health Data Portal

A data story on the dangers of hot weather - and how we can keep people safe.

a816-dohbesp.nyc.gov

Reposted by James P. Collins

David Wessel @davidmwessel.bsky.social · Jun 18

We've made an interactive map with data US Treasury collected that shows at the ZIP code level for 2018-2022 what US homeowners paid for insurance, what % of policies weren't renewed, and more. @brookings.edu Hutchins Center. www.brookings.edu/articles/hom...

Homeowners insurance in an era of climate change

The U.S. Treasury data shows homeowners insurance is becoming more costly and harder to procure in light of climate change.

www.brookings.edu

James P. Collins @jpcollins.me · Jun 16

I’m at MR2025 at Columbia! I’m presenting at the Flood Risks section at 5:15 pm. Come say hi!

James P. Collins @jpcollins.me · Jun 3

An immobility trap in the making? And implications for aging and late-life care when thinking about who can buy into coastal amenity areas

Susan Crawford @scrawford.bsky.social · Jun 3

A financial time bomb: the alarming intersection of mortgage lending, physical climate risk, and federal policy. Nonbank lenders financing homes in high-risk areas, GSE privatization retaining an "implied guarantee"--all muting market signals. susanpcrawford.substack.com/p/its-still-...

It's still easy to buy a home in a climate risky area. It's harder to sell it.

Fintech lenders are more likely to approve loans in high climate risk areas, but property values in those areas are dropping.

susanpcrawford.substack.com

James P. Collins @jpcollins.me · Jun 2

Full paper in Nature Communications Earth & Environment, "Land-based sensors reveal high frequency of coastal flooding" (gift link) rdcu.be/eo8IT

Land-based sensors reveal high frequency of coastal flooding

Communications Earth & Environment - A network of land-based flood sensors indicates that tide gauge data often underestimates coastal flood frequency and does not accurately reflect the timing...