Arthur Mely’s thesis defense

Thesis title: Studies on governance and the sustainable management of natural resources: an application to forest resources

The jury is composed of:

• Mr Luc Désiré Omgba, Professor, University of Lorraine, BETA – Thesis supervisor
• Mr Alexandre Mayol, Professor, University of Lille – Co-supervisor
• Mr Saïd Souam, Professor, University of Paris Nanterre – External examiner
• Mr Jamel Saadaoui, Professor, University of Paris 8 – External Examiner
• Ms Cécile Bourreau-Dubois, Professor, University of Lorraine – Examiner

Abstract: This thesis examines the extent to which the structure of forest property rights – and, more specifically, the proportion of privately owned forest – affects the economic utilisation of forest resources in Europe. To address this issue, the thesis is structured around three complementary chapters.

The first chapter provides an empirical analysis, at the level of French departments, of how the proportion of privately owned forests affects owners’ choices of tree species. It forms part of an economic literature that emphasises the importance of time in economic decision-making regarding forestry, since it takes several years for an owner to realise a return on their investment. The literature highlights theoretical differences in the ability of a public owner to plan for the long term compared with a private owner. Empirically, this chapter uses a Heckman selection model applied to public data on forest composition, and takes the quality of the tree species present (distinguishing between their uses) as a proxy for sustainable resource management. The results show that higher-quality timber is less prevalent in private forests than timber intended for industrial or energy purposes.

The second chapter adopts a macroeconomic perspective, using a panel comprising around thirty European countries tracked over the period 1990–2019, to examine the factors interacting with the consumption of solid biomass (firewood, wood residues, pellets, etc.). Through this change in scale, we seek to better understand the interactions between wood and fossil fuels in terms of their representation within the energy mix. In particular, our study examines whether there is a complementarity effect or, conversely, a substitution effect between solid biomass and the various fossil fuels considered individually. Using a panel model, the results show a complementarity effect between the consumption of natural gas and that of solid biomass, and a substitution effect with regard to oil consumption. This finding provides an initial framework for an empirical analysis of the determinants of the links between the supply and demand for solid biomass.

Finally, in the third chapter, we incorporate property rights into the analysis of the factors influencing the use of wood energy. We seek to understand whether institutions play a role in wood energy consumption. The proportion of public forests in each country, relative to private forests, can be analysed as a proxy for governments’ ability to use the forest resources they directly own as an energy input. The literature consulted to answer this question addresses property rights over forest resources at the microeconomic level, and energy consumption at the macroeconomic level. This chapter builds on the analytical framework of the second chapter by incorporating the proportion of private owners in each country. The results show that the presence of private owners has a negative impact on the consumption of solid biomass. Thus, forest owners play an important role in mobilising forest resources for the energy transition.

Overall, this doctoral thesis provides a better understanding of how property rights play a significant role in relation to forest resources, as well as in their representation within the energy mix. It therefore appears necessary for public decision-makers to fully take into account the importance of ownership type when formulating their public and climate policies concerning forests.