Skip navigation

Dr Pete Howson

Assistant Professor

Department: Geography and Environmental Sciences

My research looks at how space technologies, token economies and markets for environmental services are changing human relationships with the non-human world. I also consider how these same technologies are deployed to enable more equitable post-capitalist futures.

I lead the MSc in Disaster Managent and Sustainable Development. Before joining Northumbria, I led the International Development programme at Nottingham Trent University. In 2016 I was a Post-doc Researcher at Colorado State University, looking at Palau’s National Marine Sanctuary. Before that, I was based at Victoria University of Wellington, Aotearoa, New Zealand. My PhD research explored the political ecology of climate finance in Indonesia.

A full list of my articles, news interviews and podcasts, are available via my website.

Pete Howson

Campus Address

Room B.310, Ellison Building



  • Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
  • STEM Wars: winning hearts and minds for private sector ‘NewSpace’ industries  , Howson, P. 6 Jun 2025, In: Space Policy
  • Understanding farmers’ attitudes and aspirations for tree-cover restoration in the Kilombero Valley, Tanzania  , Durrant, E., Howson, P., Sallu, S., Shirima, D., Lala, M., Milheiras, S., Lyimo, F., Nyiti, ., Mwanga, L., Kioko, E., Pfeifer, M. 1 Mar 2025, In: Forest Policy and Economics
  • Crypto/Space: computational parasitism, virtual land grabs, and the production of Web3 ‘Exit zones’, Howson, P., Rosales, A., Jutel, O., Gloerich, I., Llorens, M., de Vries, A., Crandall, J., Dolan, P. 1 Nov 2024, In: Political Geography
  • Poor Miners and Empty E-wallets: Latin American experiences with cryptocurrencies in crisis, Rosales, A., van Roekel, E., Howson, P., Kanters, C. 1 Mar 2024, In: Human Geography
  • Existing evidence on the use of participatory scenarios in ecological restoration: a systematic map, Durrant, E., Howson, P., Puttick, B., Potts, S., Shennan-Farpón, Y., Sari, N., Allen, N., Jo, Y., Grainger, M., Teh, Y., Pfeifer, M. 30 Nov 2023, In: Environmental Evidence
  • Let Them Eat Crypto: The Blockchain Scam That's Ruining the World, Howson, P. 20 Oct 2023
  • Tributary, Davoll, J., Dolan, P., Howson, P. 8 May 2023
  • Asia-Pacific ClimateScapes: Exploring opportunities, challenges and trade-offs toward just transitions for decarbonisation, Howson, P., Astuti, R., Hensengerth, O., Kindon, S. 22 Jun 2022
  • Preying on the poor? Opportunities and challenges for tackling the social and environmental threats of cryptocurrencies for vulnerable and low-income communities, Howson, P., de Vries, A. 1 Feb 2022, In: Energy Research and Social Science
  • The role of participatory scenarios in ecological restoration: a systematic map protocol, Moore, E., Howson, P., Grainger, M., Teh, Y., Pfeifer, M. 22 Jun 2022, In: Environmental Evidence

Daniel Walsh From the Geo to the Astro: Examining the Spaceflight Production Process from the Gulf of Mexico to Beyond Earth Start Date: 01/10/2024

  • Geography PhD April 18 2016
  • Fellow (FHEA) Higher Education Academy (HEA) 2018


Latest News and Features

North Tyne Youth member Matthew, helped design and build the AI ‘Logiscope’ Camera
Black and white photoshoot room
CIP Award
Professor Billy Clark
AI generic
Montage of stills from animation showing near infrared emissions in Saturn’s stratosphere, revealing the four star-arm features flowing from the pole towards the equator, as the planet rotates beneath JWST's view
More news

Back to top