Dr Pete Howson

Assistant Professor

Department: Geography and Environmental Sciences

My research looks at how environmental technologies and markets for 'ecosystem services' are coming together to change human relationships with the non-human world. I also consider how these same technologies are deployed to enable more equitable post-capitalist futures.

I lead the MSc in International Development. Before joining Northumbria, I led the International Development programme at Nottingham Trent University. In 2016 I was a Post-doc Researcher at Colorado State University, looking at Palau’s National Marine Sanctuary. Before that, I was based at Victoria University of Wellington, Aotearoa, New Zealand. My PhD research explored the political ecology of climate finance in Indonesia.

Visit my personal website HERE.

External activity

Editor - Asia Pacific Viewpoint

Expert advisor - UNEP Blockchain for environmental sustainability working group

Expert advisor (climate change) - Asia New Zealand Foundation

Peer-reviewed publications

A full list of my publications is available via my Research Portal

Non-peer reviewed articles

A full list of my non-peer reviewed articles, news interviews and podcasts, are available via my website.

Campus Address

Room B.310, Ellison Building

Email Pete

Key Publications

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Understanding farmers’ attitudes and aspirations for tree-cover restoration in the Kilombero Valley, Tanzania  , Durrant, E., Howson, P., Sallu, S., Shirima, D., Lala, M., Milheiras, S., Lyimo, F., Nyiti, ., Mwanga, L., Kioko, E., Pfeifer, M. 1 Mar 2025, In: Forest Policy and Economics
Crypto/Space: computational parasitism, virtual land grabs, and the production of Web3 ‘Exit zones’, Howson, P., Rosales, A., Jutel, O., Gloerich, I., Llorens, M., de Vries, A., Crandall, J., Dolan, P. 1 Nov 2024, In: Political Geography
Poor Miners and Empty E-wallets: Latin American experiences with cryptocurrencies in crisis, Rosales, A., van Roekel, E., Howson, P., Kanters, C. 1 Mar 2024, In: Human Geography
Existing evidence on the use of participatory scenarios in ecological restoration: a systematic map, Durrant, E., Howson, P., Puttick, B., Potts, S., Shennan-Farpón, Y., Sari, N., Allen, N., Jo, Y., Grainger, M., Teh, Y., Pfeifer, M. 30 Nov 2023, In: Environmental Evidence
Let Them Eat Crypto: The Blockchain Scam That's Ruining the World, Howson, P. 20 Oct 2023
Tributary, Davoll, J., Dolan, P., Howson, P. 8 May 2023
Asia-Pacific ClimateScapes: Exploring opportunities, challenges and trade-offs toward just transitions for decarbonisation, Howson, P., Astuti, R., Hensengerth, O., Kindon, S. 22 Jun 2022
Preying on the poor? Opportunities and challenges for tackling the social and environmental threats of cryptocurrencies for vulnerable and low-income communities, Howson, P., de Vries, A. 1 Feb 2022, In: Energy Research and Social Science
The role of participatory scenarios in ecological restoration: a systematic map protocol, Moore, E., Howson, P., Grainger, M., Teh, Y., Pfeifer, M. 22 Jun 2022, In: Environmental Evidence
Crypto-giving and surveillance philanthropy: Exploring the trade-offs in blockchain innovation for nonprofits, Howson, P. 1 Jun 2021, In: Nonprofit Management and Leadership