Dr Thaís de Carvalho

Thaís de Carvalho is a Lecturer in Sustainability and Development at the SOAS Centre for Development, Environment and Policy (CeDEP) within the Department of Development Studies.

She is an interdisciplinary scholar whose work examines how social protection can be reimagined to address poverty and climate change in ways that meet the needs and aspirations of Indigenous peoples. Her research examines how the uneven development of Amazonia shapes the livelihoods, well-being and futures of Indigenous youth, and how their experiences of deprivation – driven by colonial legacies, environmental degradation, and climate change—can be more effectively addressed by policymakers.

Thaís’s work is collaborative and policy-oriented, often conducted in partnership with local NGOs and Indigenous organisations. She has carried out fieldwork in Peru and Brazil and contributed to research and policy work across Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as in Uzbekistan, Thailand, Tanzania, Nepal and Côte d’Ivoire.

Alongside her academic work, Thaís has consulted for FAO, UNICEF, ODI Global, Fundación Capital, and the Asian Development Bank. She was also a contributing author to the 2021 Amazon Assessment Report and is a regular reviewer for journals including Climate & Development, Climate Action, IDS Bulletin and Children & Society.

• Social protection
• Children and youth
• Climate change
• Environmental justice
• Indigenous peoples