TSE MAG 26 - Are we ready for rising sea levels?

April 22, 2024 Environment

This article was published in TSE science magazine, TSE Mag. It is part of the Spring 2024 issue, dedicated to “Climate Revolution”. Discover the full PDF here and email us for a printed copy or your feedback on the mag, there.

“Floods, drought, vanishing coastlines... Natural disasters take different forms and it is essential to inform the public about the risks involved. In France, risk maps are drawn up by the local authorities. What impact do they have on housing values and urban development? Can they cope with climate change? 

Since 2022, I've been working on these questions as part of my thesis at TSE. For this, I need to find out what research has already been done on the subject and to collect data. It's a painstaking process that involves requesting data from local authorities, harmonizing it and cleaning it up. I then use econometric methods to estimate how zoning restrictions affect house prices, construction permits, etc... 

Right now, I'm building a supply and demand model of the housing market. It will take several more months of work to apply it and draw conclusions that will improve our understanding of this subject.”