Pieter studied Environmental Sciences at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and obtained his PhD at Utrecht University. He worked at the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) in Bonn and the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management. He conducted research in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Zambia and Sweden, among other countries. He currently works for TU/e as an assistant professor in the Technology, Innovation and Society group. 

In addition to research and teaching, Pieter is explicitly involved in policy advice, for example by co-writing reports for the UN Environmental Program UNEP. He believes that this is necessary if you are doing research into climate policy and climate financing. Pauw wrote more than 75 opinion articles in national and international media, as well as columns for Cursor.