He graduated with a degree in atmospheric sciences, a Master in remote sensing from the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), and a PhD in soil, water, and environmental sciences from the University of Arizona. He is the coordinator of the Satellite Image Analysis and Processing Laboratory (LAPIS; http://www.lapismet.com.br). He is a researcher in the area of climate and ecosystem services. It uses remote sensing as an environmental monitoring tool, subsidizing governments and business segments with satellite information. He participates as a report author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).