Scholarships

PhD Scholarship – Climate change and energy transition: challenges and opportunities

Project overview

Climate change represents one of the most pressing global challenges of our time. The global imperative to mitigate climate change requires an unprecedented acceleration in the transition from fossil-fuel-based energy systems to low-carbon alternatives (Besley and Persson, Dugoua & Gerarden, 2023). Despite the growing evidence on concerns over climate change and its severe implications (e.g. Auffhammer, 2018), public understanding, perceptions, and support for energy transition and climate policies vary significantly across individuals and countries. As such, there is a growing interest on research on understanding the drivers of perceptions and attitudes toward climate change and climate policies (e.g., Angrist et al., 2024; Besley and Persson, 2023; Dechezleprêtre et al., 2025). Data driven evidence and understanding of this complexity on climate change and green transition responses is crucial to policy makers to design effective strategies and advance sustainable development goals (SDG 7, SDG13).
More importantly, the intersection of gender with climate change perceptions and action is an area gaining increasing academic and policy interests. Emerging evidence suggests that gender roles, societal expectations, and differential climatic experiences can influence how individuals perceive climate risks, their willingness to adopt pro-environmental behaviours, and their support for climate policies attention (e.g., see Hailemariam at al., 2023 for a survey of the literature). A deeper exploration of these gendered dimensions is crucial for developing a just energy transition and inclusive climate policies in line with SDG5 (Gender equality) and SDG13 (climate action).

Aim

This PhD project aims to understand challenges of energy transition and investigate how individuals perceive and understand climate change and related policies. This research project will utilise firm/plant-level and individual-level longitudinal data and employ quasi-experimental identification strategies to evaluate the drivers and causal impacts of energy transition policies on a range of socio-economic outcomes and understand factors that influence climate change attitudes and support for climate policies. The project will also examine the multifaceted roles of gender differences in shaping these perceptions and levels of support, aiming to enhance knowledge and provide insights that can inform more effective and gender-responsive climate actions and policy development. This project aims to bridge this gap by exploring the specific mechanisms through which gender roles shape perceptions and support for climate action.

Objectives

Significance

The research outputs of this project will provide a comprehensive understanding of the current landscape of energy transition, climate change perceptions and policy support, which is key for identifying critical knowledge gaps. To effectively fight against climate change and ensure transition to net zero by mid-century, a target set by major economies around the world, it is crucial to understand the factors that influence climate change perceptions and the support for energy transition and climate action. This is because divergence in climate change perceptions can hinder the effective implementation of transition to clean energy and climate policies. As such, understanding the drivers behind energy transition and these perceptions, including gender norms, socio-economic and political factors is critical for designing more effective strategies and fostering greater public engagement with climate initiatives. The projects will offer novel and in-depth insights into how specific gender roles, norms, and expectations influence climate change perceptions and attitudes toward climate actions. This is critical to generate evidence-based recommendations for policymakers on how to design more effective and targeted climate communication campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences, including considerations for gender-responsive actions.

Ideal Candidate

Applicants should have a Bachelor degree with First Class Honours or Masters degree with strong academic results in a relevant field such as economics, econometrics, development and environmental studies. Candidates should demonstrate strong background and skills in quantitative research methods and meet the language requirement set for entry to Curtin’s PhD program in Economics. Must be eligible to enrol in PhD programs at Curtin.

This project is open to International and Domestic applicants.

Scholarship

If you are identified as the preferred candidate for this project, you may be considered for an RTP scholarship.

Enquires and How to Apply

For enquires about this opportunity contact Dr Abebe Hailemariam via abebe.hailemariam@curtin.edu.au

To formally apply submit an Expression of Interest to Dr Abebe Hailemariam during the Central Scholarship round (July 1st – July 31st 2026)

---

If you’re interested in other scholarship opportunities to study at Curtin University, head here to learn more about other scholarships available.