Towards a global perspective on interrelated green hydrogen transitions: The case of Colombia

Green Hydrogen (GH2) is widely considered a key element in decarbonising industries and energy systems to mitigate climate change. The EU aims to increase the use of renewable (or green) hydrogen to 20 million tonnes by 2030, 50 % of which will have to be imported, mostly from the Global South, while Germany projects an even higher hydrogen import share (50–70 %). The dependence of GH2 transitions in the Global North on imports from the Global South is subject to controversial debate in the literature: on the one hand, it is criticised as a form of ‘green colonialism’, perpetuating existing global power asymmetries. On the other hand, it is argued that GH2 transitions in the Global South have the potential to promote green development processes and the regionalisation of energy production, thus reconfiguring global power relations. However, how the GH2 transitions are taking place in particular countries of the Global South, whose interests prevail, and to what extent they influence global power configurations has remained poorly understood to date. Starting from the assumption that GH2 transitions are both contested at different scales and are globally interrelated, we study the hydrogen transition in Colombia and its interrelation with the hydrogen policy of Germany, the key promoter of the GH2 transition in Europe. Conceptually, we rely on approaches from global political economy, historical-materialist policy analysis, critical geography and political ecology. Methodologically, the analysis is based on a qualitative analysis of hydrogen policies in Germany and Colombia, using document analysis, semi-structured interviews and media analysis. Hydrogen pathways are influenced by conflicts around policy formulation and socio-ecological conflicts in areas of production. We find that relevant domestic and international (particularly German) actors and initiatives push towards a green extractivist hydrogen transition pathway. Simultaneously, a green developmentalist and a fossilist hydrogen pathway are emerging, so far rather in complementarity than in competition with the green extractivist pathway.