Peura, Pekka
From unlimited growth to sustainable energy - The origin of operational patterns by means of social selection
Abstract
This doctoral thesis is based on four peer reviewed articles, which together make a coherent longitudinal research and knowledge creating process, with conceptual integration and dialectical reasoning as its corner stones. The thesis is based on zooming in from large scale thinking – philosophy and worldview – towards smaller scale issues, first in order to understand, then to deepen knowledge through research, then to search for solutions for clearly explicated problems, and finally to implement the findings in practice.
The logical framework is as follows: The state of the global environment is ap-proaching a point where the whole of humankind is in danger. These issues are widely discussed and analysed. The change towards more sustainable development will be a long societal process, and it will be essential to understand the
characteristics and dialectics of the process. The author presents and analyses his three layer model of societal evolution. The change of making humankind more sustainable creates practical needs – real actions will be necessary – but above all, it creates a need to develop scientific understanding, which is briefly discussed.
The production of energy has traditionally been one of the core issues concerning the effect humankind has on the environment, and in the process of change, the potential reform of the energy sector will be in a key position. The main part of the thesis’ empirical material concerns the energy sector and its potential shift towards the principle of sustainable energy.
Keywords
Sustainable energy, Sustainable development, RES, Renewable energy sources, Energy self-sufficiency, Malthus and Boserup, Societal change
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