Astrid Kander
My main research area is about the interrelations of long term economic growth, energy and the environment. It has involved the construction of new time series of energy and greenhouse gases as well as bench mark estimates. The role of technology (innovations) and structural change play an important role in the analyses of the data.
My research area could be described as a quantitative and appreciative branch of economic history. Typically, it addresses questions that are regarded as crucial for contemporary society and aims at providing stylized facts in response to these questions by investigating and describing trends and periodical fluctuations. A long time perspective (over 100 years) is combined with medium-length perspectives (decades or specific periods). I subscribe to the evolutionary economics perspective, in which structural changes and large technical shifts play important roles for economic growth, and where growth is analysed within the dynamic framework of development blocks.
One main result from my thesis, “Economic growth, energy consumption and CO2 emissions in Sweden, 1800-2000”, and following work (the energy-capital paper) is that innovations, especially in thermal energy efficiency, have improved energy productivity (GDP/energy) substantially over the last two hundred years. My thesis has earned wide interest and recognition both in Sweden and abroad. It has inspired similar studies for other countries (Spain, Holland, Italy, UK, Germany, Portugal and Norway) within the “Long term Energy- Growth” (LEG) network.
Since my arrival to CIRCLE in 2005 I have broadened my research field into dynamics of the Swedish innovation system, focusing on growth effects from R&D and innovations. For the empirical studies Olof Ejermo and I have established a unique and very large database “CIDER” comprising nearly all Swedish firms 1985-2002, with detailed information about R&D, patents (with quality adjusters), employment and productivity and CIS (Community Innovation Survey) data. A new literature based innovation database: SWINNO is under construction and will eventually be linked to CIDER.
Last modified 17 Mar 2010
