Green Energy or Green Colonialism? The Case of Green Hydrogen in Namibia

Green hydrogen, promoted by institutions like the International Renewable Energy Agency and the European Union as pivotal to decarbonization, faces criticism through the lens of green colonialism. This paper argues that the energy transition often replicates neo-colonial resource extraction, partic...

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Main Authors: Venditto Bruno, Ndumba J. Kamwanyah
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Milano University Press 2025-06-01
Series:Nuovi autoritarismi e democrazie: diritto, istituzioni, società
Subjects:
Online Access:https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/NAD/article/view/28852
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author Venditto Bruno
Ndumba J. Kamwanyah
author_facet Venditto Bruno
Ndumba J. Kamwanyah
author_sort Venditto Bruno
collection DOAJ
description Green hydrogen, promoted by institutions like the International Renewable Energy Agency and the European Union as pivotal to decarbonization, faces criticism through the lens of green colonialism. This paper argues that the energy transition often replicates neo-colonial resource extraction, particularly in Global South nations such as Namibia, where reliance on external technologies and investments risks perpetuating dependency and sidelining local communities. Through an interpretative analysis of global discourse and Namibia’s green hydrogen project, the study underscores the need for a people-centered approach. It proposes justainability—merging justice with sustainability—to prioritize equitable benefits and participatory decision-making, challenging top-down models that neglect socio-environmental equity.
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series Nuovi autoritarismi e democrazie: diritto, istituzioni, società
spelling doaj-art-4e135901fedb410cba4bfabfaae4e6ff2025-08-20T03:26:30ZengMilano University PressNuovi autoritarismi e democrazie: diritto, istituzioni, società2612-66722025-06-017110.54103/2612-6672/28852Green Energy or Green Colonialism? The Case of Green Hydrogen in NamibiaVenditto Bruno0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0694-565XNdumba J. KamwanyahInstitute for Studies on the Mediterranean (CNR - ISMed) Green hydrogen, promoted by institutions like the International Renewable Energy Agency and the European Union as pivotal to decarbonization, faces criticism through the lens of green colonialism. This paper argues that the energy transition often replicates neo-colonial resource extraction, particularly in Global South nations such as Namibia, where reliance on external technologies and investments risks perpetuating dependency and sidelining local communities. Through an interpretative analysis of global discourse and Namibia’s green hydrogen project, the study underscores the need for a people-centered approach. It proposes justainability—merging justice with sustainability—to prioritize equitable benefits and participatory decision-making, challenging top-down models that neglect socio-environmental equity. https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/NAD/article/view/28852Energy transitiongreen hydrogengreen colonialismjustainabilityNamibia
spellingShingle Venditto Bruno
Ndumba J. Kamwanyah
Green Energy or Green Colonialism? The Case of Green Hydrogen in Namibia
Nuovi autoritarismi e democrazie: diritto, istituzioni, società
Energy transition
green hydrogen
green colonialism
justainability
Namibia
title Green Energy or Green Colonialism? The Case of Green Hydrogen in Namibia
title_full Green Energy or Green Colonialism? The Case of Green Hydrogen in Namibia
title_fullStr Green Energy or Green Colonialism? The Case of Green Hydrogen in Namibia
title_full_unstemmed Green Energy or Green Colonialism? The Case of Green Hydrogen in Namibia
title_short Green Energy or Green Colonialism? The Case of Green Hydrogen in Namibia
title_sort green energy or green colonialism the case of green hydrogen in namibia
topic Energy transition
green hydrogen
green colonialism
justainability
Namibia
url https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/NAD/article/view/28852
work_keys_str_mv AT vendittobruno greenenergyorgreencolonialismthecaseofgreenhydrogeninnamibia
AT ndumbajkamwanyah greenenergyorgreencolonialismthecaseofgreenhydrogeninnamibia