CELEP input to German Parliament discussion on green energy

On 25 May 2023, the German Parliament’s Office of Technology Assessment (TA) and Committee for Education, Research and TA held a workshop on “Chancen und Risiken von Wasserstoffpartnerschaften und –technologien in Entwicklungsländern” (Opportunities and risks of hydrogen partnerships and technologies in developing countries). Interim results from the TA project to assess the impact of “green” hydrogen as a source of energy to achieve climate neutrality were discussed. Workshop participants included Members of Parliament and representatives from research, universities and civil society.

One session focused on the impact on local people where renewable energy is being produced. Invited comments were given by Joachim Fuenfgelt from Bread for the World and Ann Waters-Bayer on behalf of Agrecol Association and CELEP. Her comments were based on the study commissioned by the Heinrich Böll Foundation and Bread for the World about the impact of large-scale green-energy projects on pastoralists, including cases in Kenya. Ann drew attention to an aspect that did not appear to be covered thus far in the hydrogen technology assessment, namely the need for Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) – and the possibility of non-consent – from pastoralist and other local communities that have traditionally used the land for grazing livestock and other sources of livelihood before the solar- and wind-power projects were conceived to “feed” green hydrogen production.

Posted on 2 June 2023 in News, Pastoralism & Climate Change, Pastoralism & Extractives