Marcela Muñoz Escobar

Dr. rer. pol. Marcela Muñoz Escobar is a researcher at the Department of Environmental Politics, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Germany. Her work focuses on environmental policy, ecosystem services, and sustainable development, with expertise in economic instruments for nature conservation and international cooperation.

• Ph.D. in Economics, Leipzig University (2020)
• Dipl. Environmental Management, Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira (2005)

Her research spans Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES), Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (EbA), and policy instruments for climate resilience in Latin America. She leads projects on sustainable landscapes and global commons, funded by BMZ, BMUB International Climate Initiative (IKI), and BMBF.

Recent publications analyze incentive mechanisms for agroforestry, with case studies in Colombia and Peru. She contributes to frameworks for integrating ecosystem services into municipal governance in Costa Rica and evaluating institutional durability of PES schemes.

• Scientific Awards: DAAD Doctoral Researcher (2020)

She collaborates with institutions like GIZ and UNEP, and her work informs international climate policy and sustainable development strategies.