About

I am currently working as a visiting scholar at University of Edinburgh, School of Geosciences on Environment and Society Research Group. I also hold a position at University of São Paulo, Department of Atmospheric Science for the Interdisciplinary Group for Climate Change Research (INCLINE), in Brazil. Previously, I was a researcher at the Center of Earth System at the National Institute for Space Research and Science Officer for the International Geosphere Biosphere Programme (IGBP) Regional Office in Brazil.

Current research interests

My research experiences focus directly on the interaction between human and natural systems. Since my PhD in human Ecology at the University of California (USA) I have studied the ecological consequences of different resource use activities and conservation strategies. On the human systems side, I focus on behavioral and institutional factors that underpin human resource use decisions, including institutional responses to the tragedy of the common pool resources and climate variability and change.

Over the past few years my research focus on complex coupled socio-ecological dynamics of global environmental change that is aimed to inform environmental policies for sustainable use of natural resources and curb climate change accounting for vulnerability and adaptation of remote and diverse communities. I lead projects on perceptions of climate variability and change, ecosystem services and wellbeing in the Brazilian Amazon, agro-industrial landscapes and hotspots in Sao Paulo State, and resilience for sustainability in the Northeast of Brazil. I also have coordinated a scientific network in a “Collaboratory” project on adaptation action and pathways across the Southern Hemisphere as IGBP science officer.

Currently I’m also a Leader Author for IPCC special Report on the “Impacts of Global Warming of 1.5°C above Pre-industrial Levels and related Global Greenhouse Gas Emission Pathways” , chapter 5 on equity, poverty reduction and Sustainable Development Goals.

Ongoing and recent projects

  • 2014- 2018 – PI “Comparative analysis for changes in the provision of Ecosystem Services and Well-being in Brazilian hotspots (Atlantic Forest and Cerrado) in the Sao Paulo State” – São Paulo Research Foundation – FAPESP- 2014/05741-1.
  • 2014-2016 – CO-I “Climate Change Mitigation and Avoided Deforestation and commodity agriculture: assessing private sector innovation for sustainable coffee and cattle in Brazil” Oxford University, University of Michigan, University of Sao Paulo, Rainforest Alliance , IMAFLORA, CGIAR Program on Climate Change , and CCAFS Agriculture and Food Security ; PI: Dr Arun Agrawal (UM) total US$ 249,000
  • 2013- 2017 – CO-I “Abrupt Changes in Ecosystem Services and Wellbeing in Mozambican Woodlands and Brazil”. ESPA grant NE/K010395/1 : PI Genevieve Pateneaude (University of Edinburg, UK)
 2013- 2015 – PI “Governance of land-use change: a collaboration to understand the impacts of institutional arrangements on Amazonian Forest resource use.” FAPESP: 2013/50105- 3; Cooperation between FAPESP & University of Michigan ($ 100.000); PI: Dr . Arun Agrawal (University of Michigan, USA) and Dr Patricia Pinho (USP).
  • 2010- 2013 – PI “Sustaining people at the dryland ecosystem: the connectivity and resilience of biophysical and social landscape of Caatinga ecosystem’ as part of ‘Impacto de Mudancas Climaticas sobre a cobertura e uso da terra em Pernambuco: Generação e Disponibilização de Informações de subsídeos para Politicas Publicas (n 2009/52468-0 Fapesp Dr Jean Pierre Ometto e Dr Romulo Menezes UFPE / Facep)
  • 2012- 2014 – CO-I “PULSE – Platform for Understanding Long-Term Sustainability of Ecosystem and Health (Acre Case Study) project co-funded by FAPESP and NERC, PI : José Marengo, CCST/ INPE and Peter Cox , University of Exeter
  • 2013 – 2016 – CO-I “Ecosystem Services, biofuel production and poverty alleviation in the interior of São Paulo State’ as part of the larger project ‘Operationalization Of Natural Capital And Ecosystem Services: From Concepts To Real-World Applications’ Grant Number: 308428 from European Union, together with Dr David Lapola (Unesp, Rio Claro) and Joerg Priess, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Leipzig – Germany.
  • 2013- 2017 – Co-I on Socio-Ecological Dynamics of ‘Nitrogen Cycling in Latin America: Drivers, Impact and Vulnerabilities N-net’ funded by Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), PI Jean P. Ometto.
  • 
2011-2012 – PI – Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation Framework Project: lead the Brazilian Amazon case study funded by NERC and DIFID; PI Dr Paul van Gardingen.

Publications

  • Patricia F. Pinho, David Lapola, Renzo Taddei, José Marengo, Tercio Ambrizzi. “Climate Change in Brazil: Institutional Arrangements on science and Policy to Society Needs submitted to WIRES Climate Change.
  • Patricia F. Pinho “Watching Brazil but Missing the Story: An Amazonian Inferno.” Latin American Studies Association – Special Issue on Environmental Justice and Climate Change in Latin America LASAFORUM, Fall 2016: Volume XLVIII: Issue 4: 21-25 pages.
  • Mattias Borg Rasmussen and Patricia F. Pinho “Environmental Justice and Climate Change in Latin America.” Latin American Studies Association – Special Issue on Environmental Justice and Climate Change in Latin America LASAFORUM, Fall 2016: Volume XLVIII: Issue 4: 8-11 pages.
  • R. Silva, David Lapola, G. B. Patricio, M. C. Teixeira, Patricia Pinho, Joerg A. Priess. Operationalizing payments for ecosystem services in Brazil’s sugarcane belt: how do stakeholder opinions match with successful cases in Latin America? Ecosystem Services, 22 (Part A): 128–138, 2016.
  • Patricia F. Pinho, Jose A. Marengo, Mark Stafford Smith: “Complex Socio-Ecological Dynamics behind extreme events in the Amazon”. Regional Environmental Change 15 (4) 643:655, 2015.
  • Yiheyis Taddele Marua, Mark Stafford Smithb Ashley Sparrowa, Patricia F. Pinho, Opha Pauline Dube “A linked resilience and vulnerability framework for adaptation pathways in remote disadvantaged communities” Global Environmental Change 28 : 337-350, 2014 (DOI: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2013.12.007).
  • Patricia F. Pinho, Genevieve Patenaude, Jean Pierre Ometto, Patrick Meir, Peter Toledo, Andrea Coelho and Carlos Eduardo Frickmann Young. “Ecosystem Protection and Poverty Alleviation: Historical Evolution of Policy Making in the Amazon” Ecosystem Services Journal (DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoser.2014.03.002), 2014.
  • Fisher, J., G. Patenaude, K. Giri, K. Lewis, P. Meir, Patricia F. Pinho, M. Rounsevell and M. Williams. “Understanding the relationships between ecosystem services and poverty alleviation: a conceptual framework.” Ecosystem Services (7): 34- 45, 2014.
  • Marengo, J., Borma, L., Rodriguez, D., Pinho, Patricia F., Soares, V. , Alves, L. Extreme drought and flooding situations in Amazonia – impacts, vulnerability of human and natural systems and adaptation measures. American Journal of Climate Change (2): 87-96, 2013.
  • Tomasella, Javier; Pinho, Patricia F., Borma, L.; Marengo, J.; Nobre, C.; Bittencourt, Olga R. F. O; Prado, M.C.; Rodriguez , D. A. ; Cuartas, Luz A. The droughts of 1997 and 2005 in Amazonia: floodplain hydrology and its potential ecological and human impacts. Climatic Change (116) 3-4 : 723-746, 2012
  • Patricia Pinho, Ben Orlove and Mark Lubell . Overcoming barriers to collective action in community based fisheries management in the Amazon. Human Organization 71(1): 99- 109, 2012.
  • Seitzinger SP, Svedin U, Crumley CL, Steffen W, Abdullah SA, Alfsen C, Broadgate WJ, Biermann F, Bondre NR, Dearing JA, Deutsch L, Dhakal S, Elmqvist T, Farahbakhshazad N, Gaffney O, Haberl H, Lavorel S, Mbow C, McMichael AJ, Demorais JM, Olsson P, Pinho P.F, Seto KC, Sinclair P, Stafford Smith M, Sugar L. “ Planetary Stewardship in an Urbanizing World: Beyond City Limits”. Ambio 41(8): 787-794, 2012.
  • Pinho, P. F. and Nobre C. “ Engaging the Developing world” Global Change Magazine (77) : 27- 27, 2011
  • Myanna Lahsen, Roberto Sanchez-Rodriguez, Patricia Romero Lankao, Pauline Dube, Rik Leemans, Owen Gaffney, Monirul Mirza, Patricia F. Pinho, Balgis Osman-Elasha, Mark Stafford Smith. “ Impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability to global environmental change: challenges and pathways for an action-oriented research agenda for middle-income and low-income countries”. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability (2) 5-6: 364-374, 2010.
  • Patricia F. Pinho and Ben Orlove “Season as temporary boundaries: experiences from local community based in the Brazilian Amazon” American Meteorological Association – Weather Climate and Society Bulletin , Fall 2010.
  • Pinho, P. F. Globalization and Forest Resurgence in El Salvador. Current Anthropology, (48):195-186, 2007.
  • Pinho, P.F. City Desires and Sustainability in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Reserve. Current Anthropology (48): 345 -346, 2007.
  • Janet Chernela and Patricia F. Pinho “ Constructing a Supernatural Landscape through Talk” Journal of Latin American Lore (22): 1; 83-106, 2004.

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