PhD Opportunity within RESTORE4Cs at University of Aveiro

The University of Aveiro has just opened a call for applications for 3 (three) grants, under the Ph.D. Programme on Business and Economics, one of those, the Reference C-RESTORE4Cs, is part of our RESTORE4Cs.

The PhD work plan to be carried out will be anchored on the BESIDE platform, under the topic ofenvironmental economics and sustainable management of natural resources, and integrated in the framework of project activities, and will address the following scientific question: How can multiple challenges such as climate mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity, disaster risk reduction and other ecosystem services be tackled to foster mutually reinforcing actions and enhance co-benefits from nature restoration (e.g., wetland,forests) and valuation of these activities in the economy, in the context of the new EU Nature Restoration Law and the implementation of the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) Regulations?

The work plan will imply the development of technical and scientific work to explore restoration and management options for climate mitigation, and new models for evaluating the cost-effectiveness (economic,environmental and social) and financing of these actions. Understand where and how to restore nature, to ensure improved climate mitigation measures and synergies with other ecosystem services (supporting biodiversity, control of floods, recreation etc.). Identify which type of actions (both management and restoration) enhance carbon pathways (C-sequestration and GHG emissions mitigation) by lowering the pressure level and reducing the impacts /improving the ecological condition. Assess how this affects other ecosystem services, including new cost-benefit assessment approaches (which include the costs of inaction oradaptation) and the assessment of societal acceptance, making it easier for citizens to understand the value of investments and the incorporation of the economic value of restoration actions in markets and the economy.

The work to be carried out by the grant holder will also include (but not limited to) the following of crosscutting tasks:

• Development of a detailed research plan to obtain a doctor’s degree, within the framework of the strategicobjectives of ERA CHAIR, namely in terms of research activity within environmental economics andsustainable management of natural resources;
• Bibliographic research, literature review, document and data analysis;
• Writing and contributing to publications in journals and/or reference scientific events within the scope of the research topic;
• Elaboration of technical and scientific reports and of documents intended for different stakeholders and audiences;
• Participation at the related project/projects meetings (national and/or international);
• Development of actions for the communication and dissemination of the project(s) and its results;
• Other tasks assigned to support the development of the project(s) and the associated team.

For this reference, priority is given to students who have academic training in the areas of economics, geography or environmental or biological sciences. Others may also be admitted who, without specific training in these areas, demonstrate irrefutable evidence of professional experience relevant to the project.