Addressing the acceptability of different potential uses of the underground and their perception by the public through the prism of behavioral economics

The underground resources valorization is becoming a pragmatic strategy for sustainably meeting renewable energy, minerals, and water needs. In France, the underground attracts significant interest by exploring new potentialities this environment offers, such as geothermal energy and carbon-free underground storage infrastructures (hydrogen and CO₂). However, climate and environmental imperatives have evolved in recent decades, and a sustainable approach to resource exploitation is now essential. The debate on underground exploitation, which includes civil society participation, highlights environmental concerns and criticism of the industrial use of the underground. This thesis will focus on i) identifying the key behaviors influencing the acceptability of underground development projects and ii) proposing efficient strategies to remove barriers to acceptability. In particular, the relative importance of the main barriers to acceptability will be analyzed through discrete choice experiments, considering the socio-demographic characteristics of individuals and their level of knowledge of the underground and its uses. Then, an assessment of the perception of risks associated with underground use is envisaged through controlled laboratory experiments. Finally, through an online experiment, it will be proposed to evaluate communication and learning strategies incorporating the critical variables identified to understand whether they are sufficient to remove barriers to acceptability. This thesis will contribute to behavioral economics by analyzing three distinct application cases. Each case will provide an opportunity to present original articles demonstrating the expertise acquired by the Ph.D. student in this field.

Keywords: Environmental economics, Behavioral economics, Experimental economics, Stated and revealed preferences, Acceptability of public policies, Responsible and sustainable use and exploitation of the underground.

• Academic supervisor    Prof. Agnès FESTRÉ, GREDEG, n° ORCID: 0000-0003-3318-7679 
• Doctoral School    ED513 DESPEG, Côte d’Azur  University
• IFPEN supervisor    Dr Benoît CHEZE, n° ORCID: 0000-0001-5189-4436
• PhD location    IFP Energies nouvelles, Rueil-Malmaison, France
• Duration and start date    3 years, starting in the fourth quarter 2024 (4th of November)
• Employer    IFPEN 
• Academic requirements    University Master degree in economics, behavioral economics, environmental economics, energy economics OR Engineer with training in behavioral economics    
• Language requirements    English level B2/C1 (CEFR)     

To apply, please send your cover letter and CV to the IFPEN supervisor indicated below.