Gert van Hecken
Assistant Professor at the Institute of Development Policy (IOB), University of Antwerp, Belgium. Main research focuses on the global and local nexus between the environment and processes of social change, and more specifically in the socio-political dynamics triggered by (international) conditional climate change/development finance instruments, such as carbon and biodiversity markets, Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES), and green microfinance. Also works on alternative (transformational) paradigms, social movements and processes related to degrowth, and decolonial approaches to social-ecological futures. Research has mainly focused on Central- and South America, using participatory action research methods.
Country/Region of interest/research focus: Central America