Thibault Laigre wrote his thesis at BRGM on the impact of storms on Caribbean islands.
© BRGM
On 21 May 2025, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, the French Minister for Ecological Transition, rewarded the winners of the second round of ministerial thesis prizes. The jury in particular chose to honour Thibault Laigre for his thesis entitled "Impact des tempêtes et risques côtiers sur les îles de la Caraïbe - seuils morphogènes et atténuation par les écosystèmes" (The impact of storms and coastal risks on the Caribbean islands - morphogenic thresholds and mitigation due to the presence of ecosystems)
A thesis on the role of coastal ecosystems in mitigating the impacts of storms in a Caribbean context
The aim of the thesis was to study the role of coastal ecosystems in reducing the impact of storms, using methods that combine in-situ and ex-situ observation data with numerical simulations. The results of the thesis, which focused on characteristic Caribbean ecosystems such as coral reefs and upper-beach vegetation, demonstrate the importance of preserving these coastal ecosystems as a natural, sustainable and effective way of reducing coastal risks.
The thesis, which is part of the Interreg Carib-Coast project, has been the subject of 3 publications and contributed to the drafting of a methodological guide for evaluating the services provided by tropical ecosystems. Further projects are planned in other environments in Guadeloupe and French Polynesia.
It should be noted that in January, Thibault Laigre's thesis was also awarded the BRGM prize for the best thesis in 2024.
Thesis: Impact of storms and coastal risks on Caribbean islands
A prize to reward the best theses that support public action
The Ministry of Ecological Transition's thesis prize is aimed at holders of a doctorate degree less than two years old in the fields of sustainable development, the protection of nature and biodiversity, energy and climate, the prevention of natural hazards and technological risks and the sustainable management of resources.
Its aim is to strengthen the links between the world of science and public administration for the benefit of public action, and to reward scientific excellence in this field.
For its second edition in 2025, the 96 applications received were examined by the science committee chaired by Valérie Masson-Delmotte, to ensure the rigour and quality of the work, and then by a jury from the administration to assess the potential application of the work selected to the ministry's missions.
