About Bill Collins

Leads research into atmospheric composition and climate interactions

Areas of expertise:

• Tropospheric chemistry and air quality modelling;
• Coupled earth system modelling;
• Climate forcing of short-lived species;
• Interactions between atmospheric composition and ecosystems.

Publications by Bill Collins

Current Activities

Bill led the development of the Hadley Centre's earth system model HadGEM2 (see Unified Model) which will deliver simulations for the  CMIP5 model intercomparison. This model includes schemes to represent ocean and land ecosystem and atmospheric chemistry and aerosol. The CMIP5 simulations will therefore allow us to quantify biogeochemical feedbacks that may affect climate predictions on a century timescale.

Feedbacks we are currently working on are those involving interactions between atmospheric constituents and the biosphere: emissions of methane and BVOCs, damage to vegetation by ozone, enhancement of plant photosynthesis by aerosols.

Bill leads a contract with  Defra (Air and Local Environment) on Scientific Support for National and International Policy. This work with several other key UK organisations is to provide the government with advice on the implications of future emission scenarios for air quality levels and the cost effectiveness of abatement strategies. Particular contributions from Bill's team are on the impact on the UK of pollution transport from outside the UK, both from within Europe and from other continents, and also on the climate implications of air quality policies.

Bill Co-leads a work package of the EU funded project  MEGAPOLI to investigate the interactions between megacities, air quality and climate. Particular involvement from the Met Office is on the implications of pollutant emissions from megacities on global air quality and climate.

Career background

Bill joined the Met Office in 1993 after completing a PhD in high energy particle physics at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge. He completed an MSc in Weather, Climate and Modelling at Reading University while at the Met Office.

Bill played one of the leading roles in the creation and development of the STOCHEM global tropospheric chemistry model which was used to undertake research into atmospheric composition and climate.

Since 2001 Bill has led the Atmospheric Composition and Climate group.