World Water Day: Factuel meets two economists

Alexandre Mayol, a senior lecturer in economics at the University of Lorraine and holder of the Natural Resources and Local Economy Chair (RENEL), is a recognised expert in water economics.

He is a recognised expert in water economics and has carried out a number of consultancy assignments in this area. In particular, he was interviewed by the National Assembly’s Committee of Inquiry into the takeover of water resources by private interests and its consequences in March 2021, and by the Economic and Finance Committee of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE) in October 2023 on water pricing issues.

Since the drought of 2022, he has been regularly invited to appear in the media to shed scientific and economic light on the issues surrounding water management and the pricing of water by local authorities. His most recent media appearance was at the Salon International de l’Agriculture 2025. He was invited by Le Figaro TV to take part in the ‘Terres des hommes’ programme on the growing scarcity of water resources. He took the opportunity to reiterate the need to rethink the sector’s economic model.

Mehdi Guelmamen is a PhD student at BETA, where he is writing his thesis on ‘Essays in natural resource economics: governance of drinking water resources in a context of ecological transition’ under the supervision of Serge Garcia (INRAE Research Director) and Alexandre Mayol (HDR Lecturer at the University of Lorraine).

Two internships at BETA during his studies, and involvement in the research work of the Natural Resources and Local Economy Chair (RENEL), gave him an insight into the world of economics research.

For Factuel, he talks about the reasons why he enrolled for his doctorate and gives an initial progress report on his thesis work.