Biography
Maria Augusta Paim works on environmental law research in a range of topics, from the laws of sustainable transitions within climate change strategies to the influences of new technologies in shaping ocean governance for the protection of the marine environment. She is currently a Research Fellow in the Centre for Energy, Petroleum, and Mineral Law and Policy (CEPMLP, University of Dundee), in a project funded through the UK Aid programme ‘Releasing the Transformational Potential of Extractives for Economic Development’, managed by the UK Department for International Development (DFID-UK).
Previously, she has worked as a Research Associate at the University of Cambridge, where she was part of the project ‘BRIDGE – Building Resilience in a Dynamic Global Economy’, an interdisciplinary enterprise that has congregated lawyers, economists and environmental/climate scientists aiming at creating a social and environmental policy assessment methodology for the Water-Energy-Food nexus. Under this project, she was the lead author of high-quality research papers, and she has established networks with academics and stakeholders to develop collaborations and knowledge exchange activities. In that research period, she has taught International Environmental Law (course convenor) and Energy and Climate Change in the MPhil on Environmental Policy.
Her academic experience includes a Visiting Fellow (International Law of the Sea) at Queen Mary, University of London, where she has been a guest speaker on the International Environmental Law course at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Maria Augusta holds a PhD in International Public Law (São Paulo University), and LL.M. in Maritime Law (University of Southampton, British Council Chevening Award). She has experience outside academia, working as a dispute resolution (litigation and arbitration) attorney in energy law and regulation.
Publications
‘Market-based incentives to reduce deforestation in the Amazon: accelerating or braking law enforcement of The Soy Moratorium’ (RECIEL - Review of European, Comparative and International Environmental Law - Special issue in the Amazon Forest, expected by April 2021)
‘Enhancing Brazil’s ambition in the next Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC): regulatory challenges for a target of 100% renewable electricity by 2050’. Paim, M-A. & C. da Silva, T. B. (for submission to Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, expected by December 2020)
‘Mainstreaming the Water-Energy-Food Nexus through NDC Processes’. Paim, M-A., Salas, P. Lindner, S. Pollitt, H. Mercure, J-F. Edwards, N.R. Viñuales, J. (Climate Policy, January 2020, 20(2), 163-178, DOI: 10.1080/14693062.2019.1696736)
‘Evaluating Brazilian regulatory strategies for hydrological risk’. Paim, M-A., Damarco, A. Yang, C-H. Salas, P. Lindner, S. Mercure, J-F. Guerra, J.B.S.O. Derani, C. da Silva, T. B. & Viñuales, J. E. (Energy Policy special issue on Energy Law, May 2019, 128, 393-401)
‘System complexity and policy integration challenges: the Brazilian Energy-Water-Food Nexus’. Mercure, J.-F., Paim, M-A., Bocquillon, P. Lindner, S. Salas, P. Martinelli, P. Berchin, I. Guerra, J.B.S.O. Derani, C. de Albuquerque Junior, C. L. Marcello, J. Knobloch, F. Pollitt, H. Edwards, N.R. Holden, P.B. Foley, A. Schaphoff, S. Faraco, R. Viñuales, J.E. (Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, May 2019, 105, 230-243; and C-EENRG Working Paper, 2017-6)
‘Nuclear Infrastructure Decommissioning in Brazil and China: regulatory development, incompleteness and future synergy’. Paim, M-A. & Yang, C-H. (Oxford Journal of World Energy Law and Business special issue ‘Decommissioning in the Energy Sector', 2018, 11(3), 220-236)
