Paola Fezzigna is a PhD candidate within the Environmental Policy Analysis & Water and Climate Risk group at the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), VU Amsterdam.
During her PhD, she will be part of the SALINOVA consortium, where she will examine the socio-economic, behavioral, and governance dimensions of soil salinization across Europe. Her research also involves close collaboration with farmers and the application of agent-based modelling (ABM) to analyze farmers’ adaptation behavior.
Prior to joining VU Amsterdam, she worked as a junior researcher at UVA Amsterdam, investigating climate justice issues and the disproportionate impacts of climate change. She also worked at Erasmus University Rotterdam, where she focused on the role of institutions as drivers of disaster resilience.
Expertise
Climate justice, socio-economic analysis, environmental governance, mixed-methods approach.
Education
2022: MSc Environment and Resource Management (specialization in Ecosystem services and Biodiversity) – Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
2018: MA International Relations (specialization in Environmental Economics) – University of Siena, Italy
Publications:
2025: Fezzigna, Paola, et al. "Data injustice and attribution of drought events: implications for global climate policy." Climate Policy 25.9 (2025): 1473-1488.
2025: Gupta, Joyeeta, et al. "Thresholds of significant harm at global level: The journey of the Earth Commission." Earth System Governance 25 (2025): 100263.
2024: Gupta, Joyeeta, et al. "A just world on a safe planet: a Lancet Planetary Health–Earth Commission report on Earth-system boundaries, translations, and transformations." The Lancet Planetary Health 8.10 (2024): e813-e873.
2024: Gupta, Joyeeta, et al. "Applying earth system justice to phase out fossil fuels: learning from the injustice of adopting 1.5° C over 1° C." International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics 24.1 (2024): 233-255.
2019: Fezzigna, Paola, et al. "Revising emission responsibilities through consumption-based accounting: a European and post-Brexit perspective." Sustainability 11.2 (2019): 488.
