Cerema is a public administrative body under the supervision of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Solidarity (MTES) and the Ministry for Territorial Cohesion (MCT). It is a resource centre for scientific and technical expertise, providing support for the design, implementation and evaluation of public policies implemented by government departments and local authorities.
It operates in the major technical areas of the ministries (planning, housing, urban policy, transport, mobility, road safety, environment, sustainable cities, buildings, risks, public infrastructure, etc.) and offers a very wide range of services: applied research, innovation, experimentation, technology watch, methodology, expertise, advanced engineering, etc. Its specificity is based on its strong local roots and its ability to act as a link between central government departments, decentralised government services and local authorities.
This public institution employs nearly 3,000 people throughout France. Its head office is located in Lyon-Bron. The Water, Sea and Rivers Division is one of Cerema's 3 technical divisions. It employs around 170 people, 80 of whom work at the Brest-Iroise technology centre, dealing with sea and coastal issues.