Rebecca Pearse

Dr. Rebecca Pearse is a Lecturer at the Australian National University (ANU), affiliated with both the School of Sociology and the Fenner School of Environment & Society. Her work focuses on the political economy of climate and energy policy, inequalities, and rural issues. She holds a PhD and has contributed to significant research projects including the United Nations Women gender report and the City of Sydney urban inequalities study.

• Education: PhD (thesis published as Pricing Carbon in Australia), prior research roles in ARC Discovery Projects, and teaching fellowships.

Her research explores labor and land relations in net-zero transitions, emphasizing how socio-economic structures shape climate policy outcomes. Key publications include Pricing Carbon in Australia (2018) and contributions to The Coal Rush and Beyond (2020). She has also co-authored studies on renewable energy zones in rural Australia (2022). Pearse’s interdisciplinary approach combines ethnographic fieldwork and policy analysis to address climate governance challenges.

Her advising and grants history includes roles as research assistant/associate across multiple projects. She collaborates within the Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions, focusing on interdisciplinary environmental research teams.