Centre for Political Studies

Peter Metrak

Background

CEPOS is the Danish Centre for Political Studies - an independent research institution, recognized under the Danish state. CEPOS was founded in 2004 by Danish academic, arts, business and media representatives, thinkers and cultural personalities. CEPOS has been described as a leading and serious voice in the Danish debate on taxation, regulation, and welfare, as well as schools, education and integration and are frequently quoted in the media. CEPOS is recognized by the Danish state as an official research institution, a title only given institutions that produce knowledge of equal quality to that of Danish universities.

CEPOS University

CEPOS launched its own university - CEPOS University in 2006, considered by other Danish universities as a high level university in terms of offered classes and learning. At the CEPOS University courses are taught by number of professors, the best teachers from universities, business leaders as well as media analysts. At the CEPOS University economic and political problems are discussed, following the free market and classical liberalism ideas. Additionally, CEPOS University offers number of summer seminars focused on everything from history and human rights to economics and law. CEPOS university offers serious involvement into politics without being attached to a particular party. Moreover, CEPOS University offers unique opportunity for anyone with a critical approach toward the current social debate.

Funding

It is commonly known that some of the organisations that challenge scientific warnings about the climate change have refused to reveal who finances their work. The absence of transparency rules in Europe allowed European independent think tanks to behave in a secretive fashion. CEPOS was among groups that refused to give precise details about how they are funded. According to Greenpeace report, Koch Industries, a U.S. conglomerate dominated by oil and chemical interest, by financing various groups, aiming to deny climate change and oppose clean energy. According to Greenpeace, from 2005 to 2009, Koch Industries contributed almost 25 million dollars to groups opposing renewable energy and decisive action aimed at reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. One of the research institutions linked to Koch Industries was CEPOS in Denmark. CEPOS in its publication questioned if Denmark’s investment in wind power was bringing environmental benefits and that publication was supported financially by the Institute for Energy Research (IER) in the U.S. That institute, in turn, according to Greenpeace, had been aided by Koch Industries. CEPOS Chief Executive made a controversial statement questioned whether CEPOS has ever received financial help from the fossil fuel industry and who has been funding CEPOS and was a main donor a . He generally replied ‘no’ and added that they don’t give out information about donors. However, according to Greenpeace, climate deniers create enough doubt about the climate science to limit public pressure on governments to act on climate change. Defending CEPOS irresponsibility accusations and disinformation about climate change, Martin Agerup stated that he is in favor of a free market approach towards environmental issues. He added that he is not denying that climate change is happening. However he added that he is septic towards the current approach on fixed targets of reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and legally-binding international agreements regarding this matter.

People

The chairman of the CEPOS board is Bernt Johan Collet, a former Danish Minister of Defense. He also serves as a chamberlain at Her Majesty's Court. Moreover, Bernt Johan Collet is Master of the Royal Hunt.

Another important person is Martin Agerup, Chief Executive for Cepos, economist and economic historian.

• Angela Brink, Journalist and head of communications and Public Affairs in CEPOS

• Henrik Christofferson, from 2008 Research Director at CEPOS. Between 1983 an 2008 Henrik Christofferson was a Head of Research in Applied Municipal Research, AKF. Earlier, from 1975 he was a deputy department head in the National Association of Municipalities and also from 1976 to this day; Christofferson is an Associate Professor of Public Spending Policy and Housing Economics, at the University of Copenhagen.

• Mads Lundby Hansen, M.Sc. in Economics, Vice President and Chief Economist. Hansen acts as a Chief Economist at CEPOS from 2005. Between 2001 and 2005 he worked as Chief Economist in The Danish Liberal Party and from 1998 to 2001 as Economist in the Danish Ministry of Finance's Office of Fiscal Policy. Moreover, from 1996 to 1998, Hansen worked as Economist in the Danish Ministry of Economic Affairs at the International Office. Mads has also taught Economics at the University of Copenhagen.

• Henrik Gade Jensen, from 2005 Project Leader at CEPOS and Director of CEPOS University, M.A in Philosophy, Sr. Fellow at CEPOS. Between years 2002 and 2003, Press Secretary in the Danish Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs. Additionally, between years 1989 – 2007, Part-time lecturer at the University of Copenhagen. Moreover, Henrik Gade Jensen is a frequent contributor to the public debate as a columnist at several daily national newspapers, including Berlingske Tidende, Politiken, Jyllands-posten and Kristeligt Dagblad.

• Jacob Mchangama, from 2008 is the Head Director of Legal Affairs at CEPOS. 2007–2008, Lawyer at the major Danish law firm Plesner. He specialized in mergers & acquisitions, and private equity In 2007, Jacob was admitted to the bar while working at Plesner, where he was part of the Corporate Finance department. 2004–2007, Assistant lawyer at Eversheds, where he worked with general corporate and commercial law, with special focus on mergers & acquisitions and venture capital. Moreover, since 2005, Jacob has been Part-time lecturer in International Human Rights and Public International Law at the University of Copenhagen. His work focuses on the rule of law, civil liberties, human rights, constitutional matters and regulation. In addition to his law degree Jacob has a Master’s Degree in Human Rights and Democratisation from the European Inter-University Centre with stays in Venice and Strasbourg.

• Martin Agerup, M.A. in Economic History, CEO. Martin is an Economist and Economic Historian, and graduated from the Universities in Bristol and Exeter, England. He is a former member of the Danish European Movement's Executive Committee and is a member of the Danish European Movement's think tank "Yes to Europe". In addition to this Martin is a Fellow of the International Policy Network in London. From 2004 at CEPOS, where he is Chief Executive. 2002 – 2004 Martin was an Independent Consultant. Associated with GCI Future. From 1998 to 2002, worked as Management-Consultant in Connector LLC, where he worked primarily with organizational development in the public and private sector, evaluation assignments, value-based management and project management. Furthermore, he advised on the ideas and technologies that shape the future. From 1992 to 1998 Michael Agerup was Researcher and later Project Manager at the Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies. Martin worked on sector analysis (specifically on the transportation sector) evaluation, analysis and the development of labour market, new technology, globalization, trends and attitudes and interview surveys. In addition, Martin Agerup has contributed to a number of books and authored and published several bestsellers in Danish.

CEPOS report on wind energy

On of the studies made for CEPOS that received a great deal of attention was the study by Hugh Sharman on Danish wind experience. The main points made by author were on the costs of Danish power and on wind and the implications for the US. It is known that the cost of electricity in Denmark is high, but as the CEPOS study points out, this has not resulted from wind deployment, but from Danish tax polices. According to the European Union's statistics prepared by Eurostat, the pre-tax price of electricity for an average household in Denmark is almost equal to an average household in Europe. CEPOS emphasises that after taxation, the price of electricity significantly rises and is much more higher than in Europe. CEPOS stresses that although Denmark is a small country, but has been able to develop a great deal of wind power. The reason for that power is that Denmark is strongly inter-connected with its neighbours, Germany, Norway and Sweden. As a result Denmark can use their hydropower to balance the fluctuations that wind imposes on the system. Denmark has no electricity storage within its electricity system and because of the fact that Denmark neighbours have much lager power systems, they balance the stochastic variations in Denmark's wind power, turning their hydropower systems up and down. Hugh Sharman explains that these neighbouring countries play a role of the 'electric storage batteries' for Denmark.

CEPOS recently criticised the performance of Danish wind energy. CEPOS made a controversial study on wind energy, claiming that most of the Danish wind power has ben recently exported as well as using wind turbines in Denmark is an expensive way of reducing emissions of CO2. CEPOS stated in its report that usage of wind turbines causes energy taxes rising for private consumers in Denmark. The CEPOS report - many controversies rose around -

CEPOS admitted that its report on Denmark’s wind energy was commissioned and paid for by US think tank with close ties to the coal and oil industries. The report claimed that the Danish wind energy figures were misleading and indicated that Danish wind turbine industry model was not effective. CEPOS report has been strongly criticised by the numerous experts for its conclusions. Martin Agerup, after strong critique, admitted that the report was commissioned and paid for by Institute for Energy Research (IER) but in a defense he added that he was not aware of IER receiving funding from the coal and oil industry. Agerup admitted, however, that he and report author, Hugh Sharman, were made aware of the relationship between IER and the American coal and oil industries. Agerup emphasized that IER financing the wind energy report agreed for fully independent conclusion and the assessments made by CEPOS.

Controversies

It is known that CEPOS has been criticised for spreading disinformation regarding the Danish wind industry.

Connections

CEPOS has been known as an opinion-maker on controversial issues. One of the issues CEPOS was ivolved in was a survey on satisfaction of muslim immigrants living in Denmark. It is known that a survey conducted by Statistics Denmark