Between green extractivism and energy justice: competing strategies in South Africa's hydrogen transition in the context of climate crisis

The global race for green hydrogen is not just about decarbonisation, but also about power and profit. Examining the formation of a political project around an emerging hydrogen economy in South Africa, this article shows that a hydrogen transition is fundamentally contested. Employing (neo-)Gramscian hegemony theory and historical materialist policy analysis, it delineates four competing hydrogen initiatives in the policy debate: green extractivism, green developmentalism, fossilism and energy justice. The findings indicate the dominance of green extractivism, which prioritises the export of green hydrogen to Europe and reproduces patterns of neocolonialism and unequal ecological exchange. Contestations arise both from reactionary forces clinging to fossil fuels as well as from initiatives pursuing justice-centred transitions through green developmentalism and energy justice. This study contributes to the debate on justice in the global energy transition by highlighting alternative transition pathways in the global South that challenge green extractivism through sovereign industrial development and energy justice. La course mondiale a l'hydrogene vert n'est pas seulement une question de decarbonisation, mais aussi de pouvoir et de profit. En examinant la formation d'un projet politique autour de l'emergence d'une economie de l'hydrogene en Afrique du Sud, nous montrons que la transition vers l'hydrogene est fondamentalement contestee. En nous appuyant sur la theorie de l'hegemonie (neo-)gramscienne et sur l'analyse materialiste historique des politiques, nous delimitons quatre initiatives concurrentes dans le debat politique relatif a l'hydrogene : l'extractivisme vert, le developpementalisme vert, le fossilisme et la justice energetique. Nos conclusions soulignent la predominance de l'extractivisme vert, qui donne la priorite a l'exportation d'hydrogene vert a destination de l'Europe et reproduit des schemas de neocolonialisme et d'echange ecologique inegal. Les contestations proviennent a la fois des forces reactionnaires qui s'accrochent aux combustibles fossiles et des initiatives poursuivant des transitions axees sur la justice par le biais d'un developpement vert et d'une justice energetique. Cette etude contribue au debat relatif a la justice dans la transition energetique mondiale en mettant en evidence des voies de transition alternatives dans les pays du Sud qui remettent en question l'extractivisme vert par le biais d'un developpement industriel souverain et de la justice energetique. A corrida global ao hidrogenio verde nao tem apenas a ver com a descarbonizacao, mas tambem com a energia e o lucro. Analisando a formacao de um projeto politico em torno de uma economia emergente de hidrogenio na africa do Sul, este artigo mostra que as transicoes de hidrogenio sao fundamentalmente processos contestados. Empregando a teoria da hegemonia (neo)gramsciana e a analise politica materialista historica, expoem-se quatro iniciativas concorrentes no debate politico: extrativismo verde, desenvolvimentismo verde, fossilismo e justica energetica. Os resultados indicam o dominio do extrativismo verde, que prioriza a exportacao de hidrogenio verde para a Europa e reproduz padroes de neocolonialismo e trocas ecologicas desiguais. As contestacoes surgem tanto de forcas reacionarias agarradas aos combustiveis fosseis como de iniciativas que procuram transicoes centradas na justica atraves do desenvolvimentismo verde e da justica energetica. Este estudo contribui para o debate sobre a justica na transicao energetica global, destacando caminhos alternativos de transicao no Sul global que desafiam o extrativismo verde atraves do desenvolvimento industrial soberano e da justica energetica.