Dr Pedro Henrique Batista de Barros

Pedro Henrique Batista de Barros joined the University of Exeter in the UK in 2024 as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Land, Environment, Economics and Policy Institute (LEEP), after completing his PhD in Economics at the University of São Paulo and conducting part of his research at Johns Hopkins University's Carey Business School and the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering. His doctoral research focused on the economic drivers of tropical deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, integrating satelite data and machine learning with economic analysis to inform policy decisions. As an environmental economist, he specializes in using advanced statistical, machine learning, remote sensing, and GIS techniques to explore issues at the nexus of environmental sustainability, resource management, and economic policies.

At LEEP, he is involved in three projects:

DESNZ Land-Climate Programme: Using remote sensing, GIS, and AI to model the UK's farm infrastructure and analyze the cost-benefit of different land use policy scenarios aiming for net-zero emissions.

Minerva FishWars Project: Applying remote sensing, GIS, and AI to enhance models for natural capital asset pricing, assessing how climate change can alter the economic value of natural resources and potentially lead to conflicts.

Regulating Nature Markets Project: Investigating nature markets to identify market failures and the need for regulation, exploring how market-based conservation strategies can contribute to nature recovery through enhanced carbon storage and biodiversity gains.

Before joining Exeter, Pedro held several significant positions in Brazil, working for both national and state governments, as well as in the private sector at an InsurTech startup. His roles involved applying advanced statistical analysis, geospatial data modeling, and economic evaluation to support public and private decision-making. He has authored numerous articles on subjects such as deforestation, economic development, and the environmental impacts of agricultural expansion, contributing to academic and policy discussions on sustainable development.

Pedro is proficient in a variety of analytical tools, including Python, R, JavaScript, and Stata, which he utilizes to enhance his research and professional projects. Beyond his academic and professional life, he is passionate about nature and the outdoors, enjoying activities like hiking, traveling, camping, and climbing.