Class 9 (2010-2012)
Eduardo da Costa, Brazil
Duke University – Master in International Development Policy
Eduardo Costa is an economist, scholar and social/environmental activist in the Brazilian Amazon. As an economist for the Pará State Chamber of Commerce, he has pioneered the mobilization of local corporations on issues related to corporate social and environmental responsibility. He has assisted local business leaders with the design and implementation of socially and environmentally responsible corporate projects and advocated for the development of sustainable small businesses in the Brazilian Amazon. As a professor in the Program of International Relations at UNAMA-Amazônia University, his academic interests focus on conflict prevention, human rights and the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development in the Brazilian Amazon. Eduardo believes that only economically viable, socially just and environmentally sustainable development policies can ensure that the needs of the local populations are met, that the Brazilian Amazon has the opportunity to develop its economy, and that the rainforest persists as an ecologically functioning ecosystem that plays a vital role in regulating the global climate. Upon completion of the Rotary World Peace Program, Eduardo wishes to seek employment with a private consulting firm, international NGO or multilateral organization that works towards the promotion of sustainable development policies in the Amazon and around the world.