Featured Video

waterloop #149: Flooding On A Sunny Day

Some coastal communities experience flooding of low-lying areas on sunny days due to exceptional high tides. The frequency and severity of these events, also called blue sky flooding or nuisance flooding, are increasing due to sea level rise and are projected to triple in the U.S. by the year 2050.

Sunny day flooding is discussed in this episode with Miyuki Hino, an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina. Miyuki explains a variety of the current research on the flooding, including her work in coastal North Carolina, and how the information is used to understand trends and help communities adapt. She also explains some of the response measures such as retrofitting infrastructure, using nature-based solutions, and employing managed retreat from flood prone areas.

Latest News

Institute launches environmental justice graduate research award

In summer of 2020, the UNC Institute for the Environment reconstituted its diversity, equity and inclusion committee known as the Institute for the Environment’s Inclusion and Equity Committee or IEIE. The group facilitated discussions about what the Institute can do to make the organization the best it can be by moving forward with inclusivity and equity in its discipline. Read more

Faculty Fellow Pete Andrews weighs in on regulatory challenges for EPA after West Virginia v. EPA Decision in Scholars' Circle

Traditionally, the U.S. Supreme Court has given executive branch agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency quite a bit of latitude at enforcing Congressional legislation. This principle is called Chevron deference. But in this term, the Supreme Court weakened this principle significantly, in particular in the area of environmental protection. In West Virginia v EPA, the Court signaled that the EPA can only enforce on areas specifically outlined by Congress, weakening the agency’s ability to take regulatory steps to combat climate change. Faculty Fellow Pete Andrews weighs in. Read more

UNC Environmental Spotlight

UNC’s Environmental Finance Center: A Valuable Resource for Local Governments Across North Carolina

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