Patricia Gallo Barbosa Lima (2018)
Title of the dissertation
Supervisor(s)
Prof. Dr. iur. Eike Albrecht, Prof. Dr. rer. pol. Frank Wätzold
Short Bio
I am a native Brazilian forester and engineer, graduated at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. In addition to my PhD Degree in Environmental Resources Management at the Department of Civil and Public Law with Special References to Environmental and European Law, I have also achieved a Master Degree at the Technische Universität Dresden, Institute of International Forestry and Forest Product where I studied management of tropical forests. From the years 2006 to 2009 I was a staff member of a consultancy company where nowadays I cooperate as a partner. In 2004 I worked for one year as a visiting scientist in the Southern Forest Tree Nursery Management Cooperative at the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences at Auburn University, USA. I have been in several international exchange programs (in USA, Germany, Finland, for example) so I have a solid understanding of cross-cultural communication.
My PhD Programme has enabled me to gain and deepen my knowledge and understanding of forest landscapes and global forest governance. My research investigated the overall framework of REDD+ development as a national strategy in Brazil. Using the sustainable forest landscape approach as the overarching conceptual for an effective establishment of REDD+ into the Brazilian policy arena and, building on this analysis, the findings of my research guided a multidisciplinary exercise and identified the major challenges and policy constraints, which undermine this development design process in the country. Thus, the initiatives of Brazil for the transposition of REDD+ as a mean of global environmental policy into national policy making were discussed. Moreover, the dissertation identified the regulatory and organisational conditions that are most likely to ensure the effective implementation of REDD+. This is necessary to establish the contextual groundwork of regulatory and institutional structures, which will be imperative for REDD+ to promote better governance practices. In addition, this is an interesting, important and timely topic given the ongoing discussions about REDD+ and the challenges surrounding its implementation, in particular for a country like Brazil, rich in forests, but also losing them in a still too high speed.
Currently I am working as an independent consultant with ad-hoc projects about Climate Change and Sustainable Development – focus on forests landscapes and agribusiness and academic writing as well. Ultimately, I have always been interested in multidisciplinary topics that relate environmental and development issues, particularly because they are highly relevant and intimately connected in my home-country. For the future, I have no specific targets except that I plan on enhancing my skills and continuing my involvement in related professional associations and eventually I would like to become a lead to help others developing in their respective roles.
Selected publications
2014 Lima, P.G.B. Strengthening Livelihood Flows on Payment for Environmental Services through Local Lenses: Evidences from the Bolsa Floresta Programme. Journal of Sustainable Development Studies, v.07, n.01, pp 52-83.
2011 Lima, P.G.B. Payments for environmental services through the local lens: preliminary evidences from the Bolsa Floresta Program in the Brazilian Amazon. Master Thesis, TU Dresden. Dresden, Germany.
2008 Manfrinato, W. A.; Ometto, J.; Moura, L. F.; Bezerra, M. O.; Pinto, T. M.; Lima, P. G. B.; Nobre, A. Crop vulnerability to drought in southern Brazil: initial insights into the potential impacts of Amazonian deforestation. In Proceedings: International Scientific Conference: Amazônia em perspectiva, Ciência Integrada para um Futuro Sustentável, Manaus, Brazil.
2007 Manfrinato, W.; Simoes, M.; Ometto, J.; Bezerra, M. O.; Pinto, T. M.; Lima, P. G. B. Brazil Rainforest Water Program In: Forest Day. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change/COP 13, Parallel Event, Bali, Indonesia.
2007 Manfrinato, W.; Moura.L.F, Lima, P.G.B.; Megid,T. The Role of Forests in Climate Change Policy: Carbon and Social Dynamics. Piracicaba: Plant Inteligencia Ambiental, (Policy Brief).
2006 Manfrinato, W.; Lima, P. G. B.; Bezerra, M. O. Global warming, Clean Development Mechanism and Biodiversity. In Proceedings: Expominas (Congress of Minas Gerais State on Biodiversity), (in portuguese only), Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
What will you remember most of your time at BTU Cottbus and in the PhD Programme ERM?
BTU covered my expectations. It was intense but worth it. I am really glad I had the opportunity to study here.
What advice to you have for prospective PhD candidates at BTU Cottbus?
Trust in yourself and do not be afraid to ask.