PhD project summary:
Social assistance programmes are used by governments globally to support livelihoods of their most vulnerable populations. They provide critical support to low-income households in different ways, including through cash or in-kind transfers or through employment schemes. Beyond its role in addressing inequities, social assistance may contribute towards environmental protection and resilience against climate-related challenges. For example, cash assistance programmes have the potential to support poor households prepare for climate disasters and recover from their impacts. Moreover, employment-based social assistance programmes have the potential to support climate efforts by mobilising a workforce to deliver environmental public works, such as conservation or disaster-resilient infrastructure.
Brazil is a country with deep social and economic inequalities and a long history of social assistance. It is also highly affected by environmental change, as it contains 65% of the Amazon rainforest, with a large percentage of the local population depending on the rainforest for their livelihood. Brazil’s biggest state, Amazonas, has the largest percentage of Amazon rainforest in the country, and is home to many vulnerable and indigenous communities. In Amazonas, more people receive support from Brazil’s main social assistance programme, Bolsa Familia, than have a formal occupation. At the same time, many environmental protection efforts are funded in the region. This creates a critical opportunity to connect these environmental efforts with social assistance programmes to benefit both people and the environment.
In this project, the student will work in collaboration with Idesam, a local non-profit organisation with a leading role in conservation and sustainable development efforts in Amazonas. Together with local stakeholders, they will explore how social assistance programmes can be adjusted to incorporate environmental objectives. The project will:
(1) Identify and describe social assistance programmes that have been designed or adapted to incorporate environmental objectives globally by reviewing relevant policy documents and academic literature.
(2) Work with local stakeholders in Amazonas to co-produce a map that outlines ways local social assistance programmes can be adapted to improve environmental outcomes.
(3) Co-design potential policy ideas with local stakeholders and estimate how these changes might impact environmental, socioeconomic, and health outcomes in Amazonas and Brazil.
A comprehensive exploration of the academic and policy literature will describe existing efforts to integrate environmental objectives into social policy globally and provide an evidence-based foundation to inform contextually appropriate local solutions. Participatory stakeholder workshops will be conducted to build a shared understanding of how social assistance programmes can be adapted to benefit the natural environment in the region of Amazonas. Stakeholder contributions will inform the development of a computer simulation model that estimates how different policy options may impact the environment, as well as the health and livelihoods of the local population. The student together with Idesam will use this model to inform policy recommendations and develop an action plan that supports both social and environmental progress in the region.
Imperial College London project listing
Supervisor(s):
Paraskevi Seferidi: paraskevi.seferidi14@imperial.ac.uk
Judite Gonçalves: j.goncalves@imperial.ac.uk
CASE non-academic partner: Idesam: https://idesam.org/
LISS Institution: Imperial College London, Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health
PhD Programme: PhD in Clinical Medicine Research (Public Health)
Full-time / Part-time: Full-time
1+3.5 or +3.5 studentship: +3.5
Fee Eligibility: Home‑eligible applicants only (UKRI eligibility guidance)
How to apply:
To apply, please complete and return the documents below to the project supervisor(s) directly:
- LISS DTP CASE application form
- Academic transcripts
- References
- Additional information as stipulated in the CASE project listing
Additionally, all applicants must complete:
- LISS DTP Diversity Monitoring Form (online)
Closing date for applications: 15th February 2026
Interviews date: Early March – to be confirmed