Paulo Moutinho has a Ph.D. in Ecology and studies the causes of deforestation in the Amazon and its consequences for biodiversity, climate change and inhabitants of the region. He has worked in the Brazilian Amazon for over 20 years and is an IPAM co-founder, where he held the position of executive director twice. Mr. Moutinho co-authored the “compensated deforestation reduction” concept, which contributed to developing the mechanism known as REDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) discussed under the UN Climate Convention. He participated actively in the establishment of the Amazon Fund and the National Policy on Climate Change, the latter made into law. From 2006 to 2010, he worked with an associate scientist associated with the Woods Hole Research Center in the USA, of which he is currently an associate member for environmental policy issues. He has also worked for several years as a professor at the Federal University of Pará and is currently a senior researcher at IPAM.