Charlene Watson
 
Department of Geography & Environment
London School of Economics & Political Science
Houghton Street
London WC2A 2AE
United Kingdom

c.watson2@lse.ac.uk

 Current research
CV

A conservation zoologist at heart, my experience conducting research in developing countries has led to the personal pursuit of a more multidisciplinary understanding of natural resource use. My interests lie in demonstrating the economic value provided by environmental goods and services and understanding the economic incentives of resource use. From this information can emerge opportunities for sustainable financing and profitable exchange, thus incentivising more prudent resource management and contributing to long-term financing of conservation efforts.

  
 
Current research

My PhD research focuses on the economic valuation of natural resources and market creation in the Bale Mountains Eco-Region in south-east Ethiopia. Part of the Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot in the Ethiopian Highlands, the Bale Mountains Eco-Region provides a substantial array of ecosystem goods and services. Without awareness of the magnitude of contribution that ecosystem goods and services make to the local economy, regional policy and management strategies have not adequately represented their value. Combined with a growing population and political instability, this lack of investment has led to the degradation of the Bale Mountains’ Ecosystem.

Environmental valuation will draw attention to the economic losses of continued degradation in the Bale Mountains Eco-Region. It will inform efforts to improve resource management and encourage support from government and donors. In addition, this research aims to identify sources of sustainable financing for biodiversity conservation, specifically through the voluntary carbon market. Alongside physical assessment of carbon stocks, research into the institutional capacity will ascertain the feasibility of establishment of such markets for environmental services.

Overall, environmental valuation can greatly inform efforts to bring unsustainable resource use under control in the Bale Mountains Eco-Region. It is also hoped that this research will prove a case study in environmental valuation that can be replicated across Ethiopia’s protected areas and wildlife sanctuaries.

Supervision and Funding

This PhD research is joint supervised by Dr Susana Mourato and Professor E.J. Milner-Gulland. The research is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and undertaken alongside work of the Frankfurt Zoological Society in the Bale Mountains National Park.
 
 
Brief CV

2007: MSc Environmental Technology (Environmental Economics and Policy), Imperial College London. Including: a socio-economic evaluation of dry-land livelihood strategies: equity and resource reliance in relation to the proposed Sengwe wildlife corridor, Zimbabwe (group project); and a direct consumptive use valuation of ecosystem goods and services in the Bale Mountains eco-region in south-eastern Ethiopia (thesis).

2005: Assistant Research Co-ordinator with a conservation, research and development NGO, organising biodiversity surveys, logistics and training research assistants in northwest Nicaragua.

2004: BA Natural Sciences (Zoology), Cambridge University, including an investigation of social knowledge in juvenile rooks.