Putting a Price on Climate Change & Other Values of Nature
(2022) SOCM04 20221Department of Sociology
Sociology
- Abstract
- This thesis examines social practices of valuation. That is, how things and beings are assigned different kinds of worth, and how these valuations are justified. By investigating the case of Danish climate politics and policy discussions the aim of this thesis is to give a first approximation of how nature is assigned different forms of value, foremost among these a monetary price. The theoretical drive behind this is a combination of the sociology of valuations of nature by Fourcade and the economies of worth approach developed by Boltanski & Thevenot, which enables giving an empirically near account of valuation practices.
From the analysis of Danish climate policy papers, it is shown that most arguments rely heavily on the values of... (More) - This thesis examines social practices of valuation. That is, how things and beings are assigned different kinds of worth, and how these valuations are justified. By investigating the case of Danish climate politics and policy discussions the aim of this thesis is to give a first approximation of how nature is assigned different forms of value, foremost among these a monetary price. The theoretical drive behind this is a combination of the sociology of valuations of nature by Fourcade and the economies of worth approach developed by Boltanski & Thevenot, which enables giving an empirically near account of valuation practices.
From the analysis of Danish climate policy papers, it is shown that most arguments rely heavily on the values of efficiency, planning, market competition, monetary pricing, and legal commitments, when it comes to deciding a course of action on reducing CO2 emissions. Furthermore, I argue that the prominence of these value-arguments can be explained by a combination of historical institutional factors that made economic modelling and projections central to most Danish policymaking, and the structured legal hierarchies of Danish law nested within EU law with binding commitments to UN climate goals. (Less) - Popular Abstract
- Appendix B - Popular Science Summary
Broadly stated, this report investigates the different kinds of valuation we do in the course of social life. While something like monetary valuation, what is called a price, is the most instantly recognisable form of value in social and public life, it is not the only kind of worth that is present. Price is the economic or market form of value. Other kinds of worth can variously be something like beauty, charisma, efficiency, planning and so on. The difficulty lies in categorising these myriad of forms so as to be able to make sense of them. To do this, this paper relies on a social theoretical approach that lists six kinds of different values that show up again and again in social life. These are... (More) - Appendix B - Popular Science Summary
Broadly stated, this report investigates the different kinds of valuation we do in the course of social life. While something like monetary valuation, what is called a price, is the most instantly recognisable form of value in social and public life, it is not the only kind of worth that is present. Price is the economic or market form of value. Other kinds of worth can variously be something like beauty, charisma, efficiency, planning and so on. The difficulty lies in categorising these myriad of forms so as to be able to make sense of them. To do this, this paper relies on a social theoretical approach that lists six kinds of different values that show up again and again in social life. These are market worth; civic worth – legal, democratic, solidaric; industrial worth – efficient, technical, professional, optimal; inspired worth – creative, passionate, unique; domestic worth – local, personal, hierarchical, dutiful, based on personal trust; and the worth of fame – esteem, recognition, celebrity, based on opinion of others.
Then, by looking at expert recommendations on Danish climate policies, especially focused on the price-setting of a tax on CO2 emissions, it is possible to describe and analyse the kinds of values that are given to nature and the environment in the policy process, and how these values justify certain social actions. It is found that Danish climate politics relies heavily on arguments from industrial, market and civic worth. These three kinds of worth dominate and are present in some mixed form in more or less every case.
Why is this? Here, the report turns to sociological theories of valuation to describe how the historical institutionalisation of economic modelling within a politico-legal framework that over time has seen one of its primary purposes become the optimal allocation of current resources and maximising future resources. Especially worth mentioning is the link between university-trained economists, the ministry of finance and semi-governmental think tanks. These are at the centre of economic modelling in Danish politics and most policy proposals, wherever they are from, must be approved by the economic projections of the ministry of finance, which are based on the work done by economists and think tanks. This is not a judgment on whether this is right or wrong, but an explanation as to what and how valuations are made. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9102537
- author
- Sørensen, Anders Jon LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- SOCM04 20221
- year
- 2022
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- value of nature, climate change, sociology of valuation, economies of worth, Danish climate politics, economic modelling
- language
- English
- id
- 9102537
- date added to LUP
- 2022-11-08 11:37:19
- date last changed
- 2022-11-08 11:37:19
@misc{9102537,
abstract = {{This thesis examines social practices of valuation. That is, how things and beings are assigned different kinds of worth, and how these valuations are justified. By investigating the case of Danish climate politics and policy discussions the aim of this thesis is to give a first approximation of how nature is assigned different forms of value, foremost among these a monetary price. The theoretical drive behind this is a combination of the sociology of valuations of nature by Fourcade and the economies of worth approach developed by Boltanski & Thevenot, which enables giving an empirically near account of valuation practices.
From the analysis of Danish climate policy papers, it is shown that most arguments rely heavily on the values of efficiency, planning, market competition, monetary pricing, and legal commitments, when it comes to deciding a course of action on reducing CO2 emissions. Furthermore, I argue that the prominence of these value-arguments can be explained by a combination of historical institutional factors that made economic modelling and projections central to most Danish policymaking, and the structured legal hierarchies of Danish law nested within EU law with binding commitments to UN climate goals.}},
author = {{Sørensen, Anders Jon}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Putting a Price on Climate Change & Other Values of Nature}},
year = {{2022}},
}