Integrating Transition and Policy Studies for a Deeper Understanding of Energy Transitions

In his new publication, Radtke uses the specific example of the German energy transition to combine insights from two prominent fields of research: transition studies – pioneered by Dutch researcher Frank Geels and now widely adopted – and policy studies. Radtke's initial question was: “In political science, developments in policy fields are often understood in terms of a process model. But what if we combined these two perspectives?”

Improving our understanding of the energy transition

Both perspectives emphasise the important role of public participation in times of change: Stakeholders, institutions and the public interact with each other across policy processes and changes in socio-technical regimes. Together they shape the direction of transitions. “Transition studies frequently focus on the role of niche actors, who both profit from and drive change by harnessing windows of opportunity. Political studies, on the other hand, seek to explain how actors behave within this process, for example by forming coalitions,” explains Radtke. Bringing these two perspectives together, enables researchers to better explain multidimensional processes of change. 

How does participation in the energy transition work?

The key characteristics of participation, however, differ fundamentally depending on the field of research: while transition research tends to view participation primarily as a bottom-up process, in which smaller actors emerge from niche contexts, in classical political science, participation is usually conceived as a process that is embedded in formal procedures – both in the public sphere and within institutions. “Both perspectives are valid,” says Radtke. “Participation occurs across different dimensions and at multiple levels. While both research approaches acknowledge this within the framework of the multi-level perspective, they tend to do so in isolation. But to truly understand a transformation on the scale of the energy transition, we need a more integrated approach.”

Two integrative forms of governance for the energy transition

Radtke’s paper explores two examples in detail. The first of these, participatory governance, encompasses public participation in political decision-making, self-governance through voluntary and democratic associations, deliberative participation, and material participation. “Participatory governance ensures that interest groups are granted a meaningful role in decision-making processes,” explains Radtke. “This includes creating platforms for public participation, ensuring a high degree of transparency and addressing power imbalances that might otherwise limit equitable participation.” 

The second approach, reflexive governance, with its focus on continuous learning, feedback loops, and adaptive policymaking, can be harnessed to navigate the uncertainties and complexities of energy transitions. 

The example of the German Energiewende

“In both types of governance, top-down and bottom-up participation can be observed at different levels: New actors emerge, institutions open up and involve other actors and the public,” says Radtke of Germany’s energy transition: “The years around the turn of the millennium saw an almost unbelievable upheaval in Germany, where four major energy companies had dominated the market in the second half of the 20th century, suddenly hundreds of new players emerged – from newly founded energy cooperatives and municipal utilities to new electricity providers, technology manufacturers, and citizen-led initiatives. The energy landscape changed completely – what we saw was a complete regime change.”

In his publication Understanding the Complexity of Governing Energy Transitions: Introducing an Integrated Approach of Policy and Transition Perspectives, Radtke concludes that insights from both transition research and traditional political science can help explain such far-reaching societal transformations. As the sustainability transformation continues, further studies will emerge with approaches to explain the unfolding changes.

Publication:

Jörg Radtke Understanding the Complexity of Governing Energy Transitions: Introducing an Integrated Approach of Policy and Transition Perspectives, Environmental policy and governance. doi:10.1002/eet.2158.