Dr James Porter
Senior Lecturer in Environment, Science and Policy Education
Research interests
- Geography
Contact details
Biography
Dr James Porter is a Senior Lecturer in Environment, Science and Policy Education, who is interested in climate change adaptation science and decision-making, flood risk management and modelling, and science-policy debates.
James completed his BA, MRes, and PhD at King's. His PhD research focused on how flood risk science and policy come to shape one another through the management of flood risk (and therein why we continue to build properties in risky places).
In 2012, James took up a European Research Council (ERC) research fellowship at the University of Leeds as part of the ICAD Project. The research focused on how climate change adaptation knowledge is produced, the challenges faced, and the extent to which that knowledge informs decision-making.
In 2016, James joined the Twenty-65 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) as a research fellow at the University of Sheffield to explore how different actors work together around water innovation and the barriers they face in doing that.
Research
- Flood risk management, modelling and policy
- Climate change adaptation science and decision-making
- Environmental science and policymaking
- Experts, judgement and decision-support tools
James is an environmental geographer whose research focuses on the complex relationship between environmental knowledge, expertise and decision-making, particularly in the context of science and policy with regard to climate adaptation services and flood risk management.
He has worked closely with climate scientists involved in the production of climate information, as well as a wide range of decision-makers who have used that information, to understand the challenges faced by each so as to better understand climate inaction.
Teaching
James is the co-director of the MSc Climate Change: Science and Policy degree programme and serves as the module convener on the policy pathway. He contributes to both the undergraduate and postgraduate modules, on environmental knowledge, risk management to research skills.
Undergraduate
- 6SSG3083 Policy and Application
- 5SSG2063 Research Tutorials
- 4SSG1008 Geography Tutorials: Critical Thinking and Techniques
- 4SSG1014 Geographical Foundations 1 and 2
Postgraduate
- 7SSG5165 Environmental Science and Policymaking
- 7SSG5177 Global Environmental Change 2: Earth System Dynamics
- 7SSG5002 Practising Social Research
Further details
Research
Risk, Hazard & Society research group
Advancing understanding of risk and perception, as well as communication and regulation in a range of environmental, social and country contexts.
King's Water Centre
Researching water, environment and development. Our centre spans the humanities, social, and physical sciences to explore the challenges of water governance from global to local scales.
King's Climate Research Hub
Studying climate change through the relationship between science, policy and culture, particularly in the developing world.
Climate researchers at King’s
King's researchers working across climate and sustainability
News
WORLD: we got this podcast returns and takes on our inaction over climate change
King's academics discuss why we aren't doing more to tackle climate change and what action we can take as individuals and as society to help address the issue.
'Invisible' heatwaves pose a much greater risk than most Britons recognise, new research finds
Despite the increased frequency and severity of heatwaves in the UK our response is inadequate, in part due to the risk being invisible.
Geography graduate Naimah Quamie awarded 4th place in RACE dissertation competition
Kings Geography BA graduate, Naimah Quamie, wins joint fourth place in dissertation competition.
New podcast on science, policy and culture in climate change
King’s Climate has launched a new podcast, taking a deeper look at science, policy and culture in climate change.
Features
Is the UK prepared for a future of extreme heat?
In light of the scorching heatwaves across Europe, USA and Asia, Dr James Porter comments on the UK’s preparedness to deal with a future of extreme heat.
The challenges of adaptation, loss & damage that must be addressed at COP26 and beyond
Rachel Harrington-Abrams and Dr James Porter set out the challenges of adaptation, loss and damage and what can be done to address them at COP26 and beyond.
Research
Risk, Hazard & Society research group
Advancing understanding of risk and perception, as well as communication and regulation in a range of environmental, social and country contexts.
King's Water Centre
Researching water, environment and development. Our centre spans the humanities, social, and physical sciences to explore the challenges of water governance from global to local scales.
King's Climate Research Hub
Studying climate change through the relationship between science, policy and culture, particularly in the developing world.
Climate researchers at King’s
King's researchers working across climate and sustainability
News
WORLD: we got this podcast returns and takes on our inaction over climate change
King's academics discuss why we aren't doing more to tackle climate change and what action we can take as individuals and as society to help address the issue.
'Invisible' heatwaves pose a much greater risk than most Britons recognise, new research finds
Despite the increased frequency and severity of heatwaves in the UK our response is inadequate, in part due to the risk being invisible.
Geography graduate Naimah Quamie awarded 4th place in RACE dissertation competition
Kings Geography BA graduate, Naimah Quamie, wins joint fourth place in dissertation competition.
New podcast on science, policy and culture in climate change
King’s Climate has launched a new podcast, taking a deeper look at science, policy and culture in climate change.
Features
Is the UK prepared for a future of extreme heat?
In light of the scorching heatwaves across Europe, USA and Asia, Dr James Porter comments on the UK’s preparedness to deal with a future of extreme heat.
The challenges of adaptation, loss & damage that must be addressed at COP26 and beyond
Rachel Harrington-Abrams and Dr James Porter set out the challenges of adaptation, loss and damage and what can be done to address them at COP26 and beyond.