Geopolitical implications of the EU’s hydrogen strategy

What is it about?

The EU’s aim to become carbon-neutral by 2050 is a lofty one. It would require a major restructuring of their energy systems to become less de-pendent on fossil fuels and rely more on clean energy technologies, such as hydrogen fuels. This book chapter talks about the EU’s transition to clean energy from a geopolitical perspective and suggests building on strategies that do not threaten its stability owing to political conflicts. The EU’s energy strategy faces two major geopolitical constraints: the need to avail technology and raw materials from nations outside the EU. In case the EU’s relation with these countries turn sour, it could hinder the successful implementation of their strategy. The author encourages the EU to grant more funding towards research in the field of hydrogen fuel production and storage. If the EU could break new ground in this field, they could not only become self-reliant in the energy sector, but could also export to other countries. Additionally, some countries that provide raw materials to EU have anti-humanitarian policies e.g., Democratic Republic of Congo, where children are often exploited for mining cobalt. Associating with these countries is equally anti-humanitarian and exploitative, and the author suggests avoiding it.

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Photo by Eelco Böhtlingk on Unsplash

Photo by Eelco Böhtlingk on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Transitioning to a clean energy economy requires a major upheaval of current energy systems. Doing this could strain political relations between the EU and countries that it relies on for importing fossil fuels, upsetting a delicate balance and threatening the EU’s security. Hence, a geopolitical perspective must be considered to make this transition. KEY TAKEAWAY The EU’s hydrogen strategy needs to consider geopolitical and security threats with respect to the outsourcing of technology and raw materials from nations outside the EU.