Jeff Da Costa

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Jeff Da Costa is a researcher specialising in hydrometeorological hazards, early warning systems and disaster risk. He completed his PhD at the University of Reading, where he investigated why early warnings do not always lead to early action and what this reveals about how societies prepare for extreme weather.

His research sits between weather and climate science, disaster risk and public decision-making. He has studied the 2021 European floods in depth, examining how forecasts and warnings move through institutions and how decisions made before and during an emergency can determine whether warnings ultimately protect people.

His wider work examines preparedness for floods, droughts and other hydrometeorological extremes under a changing climate. He has published research on early warning and disaster risk governance, contributed to international work on warning systems, and regularly provides expert analysis for the media.

Experience

  • 2021–present
    PhD Researcher, University of Reading
  • 2021–2024
    Scientific Contributor, WMO WWRP HIWeather Value Chain Project
  • 2022–2023
    Teaching Assistant, Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction (UCL)
  • 2021–2022
    Research scientist, European Centre for Medium-Range Forecasts
  • 2021–2022
    Research associate, School of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Education

  • 2026 
    University of Reading, PhD in Environmental Science
  • 2016 
    University of Reading, MSc in Applied Meteorology
  • 2015 
    University of Montreal, BSc in Environmental Science/ Physical Geography

Publications

  • 2026
    Signals without action: a value chain analysis of Luxembourg's 2021 flood disaster, Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
  • 2025
    Warning cultures in practice: Shadow systems in local flood risk governance, Progress in Disaster Science
  • 2024
    Value Chain Approaches to Describe, Improve, Value and Co-Design Early Warning Systems, World Meteorological Organization
  • 2023
    Empowering citizen-led adaptation to systemic climate change risks, Nature Climate Change

Grants and Contracts

  • 2022
    University of Reading Studentship
    Role:
    tuition only
    Funding Source:
    University of Reading

Professional Memberships

  • European Geosciences Union (EGU)

Research Areas

  • Atmospheric Sciences (0401)
  • Physical Geography And Environmental Geoscience (0406)
  • Environmental Sciences (05)
  • Meteorology (040107)
  • Climate Change Processes (040104)
  • Environmental Science And Management (0502)
  • Photogrammetry And Remote Sensing (090905)

Contact Jeff for

  • General
  • Media request
  • Speaking request
  • Consulting / Advising
  • Research collaboration
  • Research supervision