Open PhD position (48 months) at ETH Zurich’s Environmental Policy Lab
With support from the Swiss National Science Foundation, the Environmental Policy Lab of ETH Zurich is offering a 48-month PhD position in the project “Assessing the effectiveness and equity of zero-deforestation commitment implementation in the palm oil sector” for an early-stage researcher in the areas of environmental policy, sustainable food systems, and land system science.
Project overview
Expansion of globally traded commodities is the leading cause of tropical forest loss. Recent campaigns by NGOs have incentivized major corporations to make commitments to exclude products associated with deforestation from their supply chains (‘zero deforestation commitments’). To achieve these goals, companies are increasing supply chain transparency and traceability, sourcing certified products, and working directly with producers to change land use practices. Yet, the effects of such corporate policies on producer behavior and environmental and social outcomes remain unclear. This project focuses on the Indonesian palm oil sector and aims to understand under what conditions zero-deforestation commitment implementation can be both effective and equitable by supporting low-deforestation rural development.
Job Description
This PhD position will include a combination of fieldwork and modelling to better understand how company zero-deforestation commitments are being implemented and enforced in Indonesia. In particular, the student will conduct household and supply chain interviews to assess how commitment implementation mechanisms and contexts influence commitment effectiveness and equity. The PhD student will work closely with the Principal Investigator (Prof. Dr. Rachael Garrett) and co-investigator (Dr. Janina Grabs) in the EPL research group, as well as with our project partners at the Agricultural University Bogor, in designing the sampling and data collection protocols, implementing the data collection and analysis, and producing academic and practitioner-focused outputs.
For more information on the ideal candidate profile, eligibility, and benefits, please visit this link.
The anticipated start date is October 1st, 2020.
We will start reviewing applications from June 22nd and the position will remain open until filled.