Brikker til en bæredygtig udvikling: Fra en fragmenteret til en integreret erkendelseskontekst for samfundsøkonomiske analyser med et case-studie af den danske udvikling

Bachelor thesis.

The depletion of fossil resources and the environmental impact of climate change caused by human activity call for action from all parts of society. However, economic incentives are key to human action, and need to be presented in socio-economic analyses.
Based on a broad range of literature, the assignment presents an overview of the theories and areas of research in the field of resource and environmental questions. Build on two economists and energy experts, Frede Hvelplund and Hermann Scheer, the assignment sets up a picture of the parts of, but also barriers to, sustainable development.
The central problem is, how the cognition context influences the way we treat environmental and resource problems and the concept of sustainability in economic analyses. How to create an adequate cognition context for socio-economic analysis of the resource question? Why might these adequate contexts be institutionally homeless?
The assignment defines two inherently different cognition contexts: The fragmentised versus the integrated cognition context. Externalities not internalized and lock- in effects of current energy structures help explain, how separate cognition context come about, and clarify their tremendous effect on economic analysis. The axioms of economic theory are revealed to be essential for defining the institutional context of economic theory.
In a case study of the Danish energy policies, these cognition contexts are concretised through the conflict of the Economic Council and their opponents, quite well representing the concrete use of a very abstract concept. The current Danish development is analysed through an example of the current Energy Year 2006, describing, how a cognition context can be created though participation, democracy and public discourse.
The importance of scientific freedom of research institutions ensures technological development that is independent of the path dependence defined by historical paths. Opening up the black box of the cognition context gives us the possibility to redefine its content towards a more adequate cognition context. This assignment concludes, that only defining your cognition context and using an integrated and conscious approach can lead to sound socio-economic analyses.