Debaere is an international economist, with a focus on international trade, multinationals and trade policy. He is also a water expert. In recent years, his research has studied the economics of water, especially in a global context: To what extent does water scarcity determine what countries produce and trade? What explains the remarkable pattern of water use in the United States, and is the U.S. experience replicable abroad? How can water markets work as a tool in the fight against water scarcity? With a Rockefeller Grant, Debaere currently investigates together with The Nature Conservancy the use of water markets for environmental purposes in the United States, Chile and Mexico. Many of his articles have been discussed in textbooks and graduate courses. At Darden and UVA, Debaere leads the Global Water Initiative that brings together scholars from across UVA to do research, teach and give policy advice about the water challenges that we face. Debaere's papers have been published in top general interest and field journals such as Journal of Political Economy, American Economic Journal: Applied, the Journal of International Economics, and the Journal of Development Economics, as well as policy-oriented journals such as Water Policy.