EXPERTISE
Background
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Mario Ballesteros Olza holds a degree in Environmental Sciences from the University of Alcalá, a master’s degree in Sustainable Water Management from the University of Zaragoza, and a PhD in Economics and Business from UNED. He is currently a postdoctoral researcher at IMDEA Water, within the WAVE group — Water, Environment and Economics — and a member of the Environmental Economics Group at the University of Alcalá.
In this context, he participates in the European Water4All Partnership, the MADisWATER Innovation Hub, and consultancy projects for organisations such as the European Investment Bank and WWF Spain. He has more than ten years of research experience in sustainable water management, economics and water governance, including non-conventional water sources, reuse, circular economy, and adaptation strategies in response to climate change and water scarcity.
He has participated in national projects such as MADisWATER, AGUAGRADA and RECLAMO, and in European projects such as Water4All and DROUGHT-R&SPI. He is the author of scientific articles published in JCR-indexed journals, including Water Resources Management and Environmental Research Letters, and has an h-index of 8 as of June 2026.
He has also published book chapters, outreach articles and technical reports, and has presented his work at more than twenty national and international conferences, including CONAMA, the Iberian Congress on Water Management and Planning, the EWRA World Congress and the EGU General Assembly.