Flexible experimentation as a remedy for uncertainties : "Reflexive public reason" behind the energy transition in the people’s Republic of China

Contemporary societies, aware of the consequences of their actions, urgently need mechanisms to deal with uncertainties. Understanding the diversity of these mechanisms remains critical to answering the question of whether a global energy transition is possible. Our paper responds to the call for a diversification of perspectives on energy transitions and contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the role of uncertainty and risk in public deliberation. In this paper, we use the model of Reflexive Public Reason to explore the mechanisms behind the governance of uncertainties related to the energy future in the People’s Republic of China. As a key country in the global response to climate change, China offers a unique model for managing large-scale systemic sociotechnical transitions. We show that the model of Reflexive Public Reason, which involves reflection on sociotechnical imaginaries (STIs) and civic epistemologies, is helpful in understanding how particular energy futures are imagined and selected. We also show the role that uncertainties and risks play in this process. As a result, we demonstrate the usefulness of flexible experimentation in describing China’s energy transition - which may be useful in observing how the Chinese state manages uncertainty by controlling it within a limited experimental space.