Abul Maala Tanvir Hussain

Dr. Abul Maala Tanvir Hussain is an Environmental Economist for The South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics (SANDEE), a regional network that uses economic tools and analyses to address South Asia’s environmental challenges. He joined ICIMOD in December 2024.

An applied environmental economist by training, his work focuses on using economic principles to tackle environmental challenges, particularly in the following areas: biodiversity, ecosystem services, climate change, and project impact assessments. His research has been published in esteemed journals such as the American Journal of Agricultural Economics (AJAE) and Ecological Economics.

Abul has significant experience in economic impact assessments of development projects, collaborating with organisations including as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Winrock International, and Oxfam in Bangladesh.

He is currently on leave from his position as Associate Professor of Economics at East West University in Bangladesh, where he has taught since 2018. His teaching portfolio includes undergraduate and graduate courses in microeconomic theory, mathematical economics, environmental economics, and environmental valuation. Previously, Abul worked as a Senior Researcher and Lecturer in Environmental Economics and Resource Management at the University of Lüneburg and later at the University of Freiburg in Germany. His post-doctoral research in Germany, conducted as part of the interdisciplinary COMTESS project, focused on ecosystem services trade-off analysis and economic valuation providing critical insights into addressing the impacts of climate change.

Abul holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Wyoming, USA, with specialisation in environmental and natural resource economics. His dissertation research developed a General Equilibrium Ecosystem Model (GEEM) to study trade-offs between ecosystem services in the western U.S. rangelands. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree (BS) in Economics from North South University in Bangladesh.