Marije Schaafsma

Marije Schaafsma is an Associate Professor in the Environmental Economics department at the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, where she has served as head since 2023. Her research focuses on analyzing the well-being and welfare effects of ecosystem services changes, employing both monetary and non-monetary valuation methods. She is particularly interested in deliberative valuation approaches and environmental justice, alongside integrating environmental factors into poverty statistics. Her work emphasizes interdisciplinary research to advance sustainable development.

Education:

• PhD (Environmental Economics), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (2011)
• MSc (Environment and Resource Management), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (2005)
• MSc (Economics), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (2004)

Research Interests: Marije’s expertise includes ecosystem service valuation, poverty-environment linkages, and sustainable development goals. She leads projects on climate adaptation pathways, coastal ecosystem management, and biodiversity policy. Her recent work highlights inequities in conservation costs and benefits, advocating for more just valuation frameworks. She co-authored influential studies on global biodiversity hotspots and the transformative role of valuation methods in policy.

Projects:

• Green adaptation pathways for resilient basin futures (2024–2027)
• Sand nourishment strategies for coastal ecosystems (2024–2029)
• Planning land use strategies for biodiversity and climate goals (2023–2027)

Awards & Activities: Marije serves as a Lead Author for IPBES assessments and Editor-in-Chief at Taylor & Francis. Her research frequently addresses global environmental justice and policy, with over 80 publications in peer-reviewed journals. Collaborations span international institutions, focusing on Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.

Labs/Teams: She leads the Environmental Valuation and Sustainability group at IVM, fostering interdisciplinary teams to address complex environmental challenges. Her work intersects with global initiatives like the UN SDGs and IPBES assessments.