Between 2014 and 2020, the hydrogen industry had access to over €1 billion in public funds for its projects thanks to the public-private research partnership between the European Commission and the lobby group Hydrogen Europe. This partnership has been key in creating the hydrogen hype, as well as ensuring more public funds flow to Hydrogen Europe members in the years to come. It is no coincidence that the Commission’s European Hydrogen Strategy, is worryingly similar to Hydrogen Europe’s demands, including goals and investments needed for hydrogen both inside and outside the EU, which industry costs at €430 billion by 2030. In the third and final webinar of our series, we’ll look at how the EU, blinded by the hydrogen industry (which very often coincides with the fossil gas industry), is ensuring regulatory and financial support to Hydrogen projects including access to new and existing EU funding streams, fostering the resource grabbing outside the EU and promoting a wave of neo-colonial extractivism. Speakers: Frank Vanaerschot, Director at Counter Balance: Hydrogen in the Global Gateway and in the new EIB energy investment policy Tobias Kalt, Political ecologist, University of Hamburg: Between green extractivism and energy justice: competing strategies in South Africa’s hydrogen transition Natalia Lueje, Territorial coordinator, Sustentarse: The role of EU in Chile's hydrogen promotion Moderator: Eva Pastorelli, CEE Bankwatch Network This webinar is organized by ReCommon and Observatori del Deute en la Globalització within the “Citizens’ Observatory for Green Deal Financing” project, financed by European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Participation is free of charge. Please register here to participate. Italian, English and Spanish simultaneous translation will be provided.
