His research investigates the sources of effective environmental policy in developing countries, with an emphasis on the targeting and impact of foreign aid. Buntaine leads a range of international projects that focus on the allocation practices of aid donors, the participation of citizens in environmental policy-making, the relationship between public and private financing of environmental technologies, the processes that lead to effective government reform, and the evaluation of environmental projects. His work has been published in leading journals including Global Environmental Change, World Development, and International Studies Quarterly. Buntaine received a PhD in Environmental Politics and Policy from Duke University.