Abidah Setyowati is a human geographer with a specialization in political ecology. Her work focuses broadly on critical climate change studies, neoliberal environments, natural resources and climate governance, forest tenure reform and gender perspectives in these issues. She has carried out studies on issues of energy governance and access, climate finance, forest access, biodiversity conservation, indigenous politics, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+), Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) and timber legality certification.

Prior to joining ANU, she has carried provided advisory works and carried out assignments with USAID, UNDP, UNEP. FAO, UNREDD, DFID and other multilateral agencies. Her research has been supported by numerous grants and awards, such as APIP Research Excellence Award (2018),  the National Science Foundation – Dissertation Grant/NSF DDIG (2011-2013), UNDP Human Development Fellowship (2011-2013), Margaret McNamara Award (2013-2014), and Louise Bevier Dissertation Completion Fellowship (2013-2014).

With RegNet, she works on a research project entitled “Harnessing Financial Markets and Institutional Investment to Increase the Take Up of Renewable Energy in Asia-Pacific”.