Phoebe Koundouri

Professor Phoebe Koundouri is a world-renowned economist pioneering human-centric, interdisciplinary systems for sustainable interaction between nature, society, and the economy. She holds positions as Professor at the School of Economics, Athens University of Economics and Business; Research Professor (part-time) at the Department of Technology, Management and Economics, Technical University of Denmark; and Visiting Professor at the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge. She chairs the World Council of Environmental and Natural Resource Economists Associations, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network Global Climate Hub, and SDSN Europe, directing the Sustainable Development Unit at ATHENA Research Center and the Alliance of Excellence for Research and Innovation on Aeiphoria (AE4RIA).

Her educational background includes an MPhil and PhD in Economics from the University of Cambridge, where she received prestigious Peterhouse and Cambridge Commonwealth Trust Scholarships. Prior academic positions include University College London, University of Reading, and London School of Economics.

Professor Koundouri's research spans sustainable development, climate change mitigation and adaptation, behavioral economics and econometrics, economics of wellbeing and happiness, natural resource-food-energy nexus, smart water systems, ecosystem services valuation, blue growth, circular economy, systems innovation, and innovation acceleration. Her work demonstrates a consistent focus on interdisciplinary approaches that bridge environmental science, economics, and policy implementation. The recent publications show a strong emphasis on practical applications of her theoretical frameworks, particularly in water management, climate adaptation strategies, and sustainable economic transitions across multiple sectors.

Her scientific honors include the European Research Council Synergy Grant (2022), the Academy of Athens Award for Scientific Excellence (2023), and membership on the Nominating Committee for the Nobel Prize in Economics Sciences. She is also a Fellow of Academia Europaea, World Academy of Art and Science (where she serves as Trustee), European Academy of Sciences and Arts, and several other prestigious academies.

Professor Koundouri has supervised over 30 PhD students and leads numerous research grants, most notably the ERC Synergy Grant 'Smart Water Futures.' She directs the Alliance of Excellence for Research and Innovation on Aeiphoria (AE4RIA), linking more than 200 researchers across multiple institutions, and chairs the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network Global Climate Hub, engaging 2,000 universities worldwide in climate action initiatives.

Her institutional leadership includes directing the Research Laboratory on Socio-Economic and Environmental Sustainability (ReSEES) at Athens University of Economics and Business, the Sustainable Development Unit at ATHENA Research Center, and the Alliance of Excellence for Research and Innovation on Aeiphoria (AE4RIA), which connects research centers, innovation accelerators, and science-policy networks across more than 120 countries.