Hydrogen Economy and the SDGs walk into a room
For a successful hydrogen market, committing to decarbonization targets must recognize Goals for Sustainable Development...one to seventeen
By 2030, UN member states: 193 countries have to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - all 17 ‘Goals’.
Since 2015, the United Nations has crafted missions around these Goals to ensure a fair and equitable quality of life for all of mankind. Although the Goals are voluntary in nature, national governments have the responsibility to commit to leveraging the universal Goals: through the anecdote of ‘leaving no one behind’.
In 2023, almost every country has some aspects of a pathway defined towards reducing their emissions and decarbonizing with the goal of reaching net zero (or your equivalent word for a low-emission world ). The world might be failing off track between coordination structures, funding, stakeholder commitments and the speed of the climate crisis.
But much like any other target set by governments, businesses or our own New Year goals - targets are met when there is system thinking behind them.
System thinking is important when achieving a target; therefore it is possible to ensure the world meets its Net-Zero decarbonization goals while painstaking the UN Goals.
Understanding how every aspect of the Hydrogen Economy can positively support the advancement of each Goal encourages system thinking. So then, what happens when the Hydrogen Economy and the SDGs walk into a room?
Okay, but what is the Hydrogen Economy?
The global buzz around Hydrogen in the last few years has been unprecedented but timely. For many, hydrogen makes up a good portion of our vocabulary. For anyone else - in this 2021 post on Why Hydrogen in Africa you get a gist of why hydrogen is described as a “silver lining” for decarbonization but not a pancreas.
While hydrogen is very attractive as a potential feedstock, energy carrier and storage medium, it also offers alternatives for reducing agents in hard-to-abate sectors which cannot be easily electrified: consider replacing coke in iron production or locomotive enablers (like fuel cell electric vehicles).
Several countries looking to decarbonize industries towards meeting their climate aspirations largely need to prioritize the Goals. Actively engaging the hydrogen market to gain an equilibrium with sustainability requires awareness, participation and proactiveness by all stakeholders.
So, for hydrogen to be truly sustainable whilst meeting the challenge of global decarbonization. Recognizing spectrums of global commitments like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals is necessary. These Goals are recognized across all aspects of sustainability and development and a hydrogen economy welcomes an opportunity to effect.
The concept of sustainability must remain echoed in development goals, business activities and emerging economies.
The United Nations defines sustainability as ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’.
17 United Nations SDGs with 169 indicators
Innovation for the hydrogen market with systems thinking can reflect the Goals to bring a grasp of interconnectedness into aspects of technology, policy, and economic activity.
Meeting the Universal Sustainable Development Goals through Green Hydrogen
While the below stimulations for the respective Goals are brief and not exhaustive - They should signal deliberations as stakeholders navigate the hydrogen market.
GOAL 1, 2 and 3: No Poverty, Zero Hunger and Good Health and Well-being
Decarbonizing our activities enhances the quality of air, water, and food. Therefore, significantly reducing emissions during production and application of clean hydrogen applications limits the spread of pollutants in the atmosphere. The use of Green hydrogen via fuel cells emits water vapor replacing the pollutants from fossil-fueled heavy-duty operations and significantly reducing pollution. Good health promotes better well-being, as does healthy crops ( and farming applications) reduce hunger and poverty.
GOAL 4: Quality Education
Hydrogen projects require an extensive pipeline of operations. The Energy Transition expects an increase in the labour market. For the most part activities for hydrogen production are expected to occur in rural or low economic regions. To match the demand for skills in these regions quality education is usually inaccessible – as part of Corporate Social Responsibility which generally needs more colloquy; hydrogen development can consider ensuring access to quality technical vocational and tertiary education, including university programmes. This presents an opportunity to leverage local content too.
GOAL 5 and Goal 10: Gender Equality and Reduced Inequality
The UN SDGs set measures to end discrimination against women and girls everywhere. The targets within this goal encourage close engagement for women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making. To mitigate this, communities like the Women in Hydrogen, the Women in Green Hydrogen (WiGH) Network and several others have made remarkable strides towards increasing the participation of women in green hydrogen. According to the WiGH network, women have occupied only 1/5th of speaking engagements and when compared to transitional energy sectors, the numbers remain lower. Diversity of genders also enhances productivity and promotes a healthier and safer workplace.
GOAL 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Surprisingly, hydrogen production by 2050 is going to be one of the lowest demands of water. I reflect by answering if Hydrogen is a threat to water security. To produce green hydrogen water is split over renewable energy. This water is usually in its purest form and encourages desalination processes within hydrogen production facility regions or direct access to fresh water. Water scarcity continues to be a significant concern for many regions with Day Zero in South Africa and the emerging crisis in India. The hydrogen economy also contributes to improving water quality as water used in the hydrogen process is re-purposed.
GOAL 7 and Goal 13: Affordable and Clean Energy (and Climate Action)
The target set is to ensure by 2030, there is universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services. This includes increasing the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. Hydrogen here acts as a catalyst in speeding up renewable energy ramp-up. Low carbon hydrogen can be used for long-term storage through its vectors like in fertilizers etc. Although hydrogen for power generation is considered as a long-term prospect; its optimization for clean energy is a great addition to environmental measures but is also an opportunity to develop domestic supply chains. Alongside this, the increase in Research and Development in the sector is also expected to rise as investments in hydrogen increase. The ramp-up of renewable energy provides an avenue for serving the unserved and underserved communities in rural areas, through mini-grids and other decentralized energy systems.
GOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
The workforce for a low-carbon future and the energy transition is enormous, and the hydrogen economy is a fraction. Investments in the hydrogen economy through scaling of clean energy create development in economies and skilled jobs for decent work. An entire supply chain is relevant for enhancing the commercial scale of production by 2030. This said countries have an opportunity to transform their leadership, technological skills, and cross-cutting jobs. Skills for the hydrogen economy have been championed as transferrable; meaning relevant energy management roles can be upskilled and prepared for hydrogen. More task force employed by the low-carbon economy improves the economic growth within nations and regions. There are agreeable collations with increased workforce and economic growth and capturing Goals 1 and 2 (No Poverty and Zero Hunger).
GOAL 9 and 11: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (and Sustainable Cities and Communities)
The reality of infrastructure for the hydrogen Industry takes spins on Innovation, technology integration and generation. Alongside, zero-emission vehicles are speeding up with city-focused policies being encouraged across cities. Most recently, the United Kingdom introduced the London's Ultra Low Emission Zone. Across Europe, and now the Middle East and Asia there is an increased number of installed Hydrogen Refueling Stations (HRS) and browse Europe’s Availability Map (h2-map.eu). HRS are increasing with close to 729 in 2021. The replacement of depletable energy resources with renewables in municipal functions, and transportation benefits from the urgent need to decarbonize.
GOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
The hydrogen economy can be associated with the circularity of low-carbon systems. For circularity, excess generated renewable energy can be stored long term with hydrogen, the water from electrolysis can be re-used and skills from other energy phrases can be optimized to match demand.
GOAL 14: Life Below Water
The maritime industry accounts for close to 2.2% of global CO2 emissions, and the International Maritime Organization aims to achieve a 40% reduction by the infamous 2030. Reducing sea pollution is a priority for a healthy life below water. Conventional fossil fuels vessels particulate matter and sulfur dioxide during combustion. Low-carbon hydrogen as a fuel for maritime is a zero-carbon emission that also protects maritime and coastal ecosystems. But for the shipping industry to successfully decarbonize and protect life below water; major retrofitting of shipping vessels occurs. Reaching this ambition requires ocean freight carriers to maximize energy efficiency through operational and technical measures and upscale zero-carbon fuels.
GOAL 15: Life on Land
The development of hydrogen projects brings environmental, social and governance impacts (e.g., biodiversity, land use etc.). Low-carbon hydrogen production will require important land available for renewable energy production, which is needed for electrification. Renewable projects have also been frowned upon for taking up prime farmland or displacing communities. The hydrogen economy has an opportunity to garner lessons from initial renewable projects and only place production facilities on land that has been willingly given by communities, and not affecting biodiversity or soil conversion.
GOAL 16 and Goal 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal and Peace and Justice Strong Institutions
Towards the next energy transition – sustainable partnerships led by system thinking will include technology sharing. Technology sharing is established where countries with significant research and development capacities share and transfer findings towards accelerating progress. For the hydrogen economy to be effective, there must be an establishment for trade, research and an intra-region supply chain. The benefit allows for Global South countries who are ready to explore their advantage in the hydrogen economy built on existing research and findings which speeds up development in the long run.
The Hydrogen Economy, and SDGs …in the Room
For many countries, linking trade and climate is the only way to ensure projects and hydrogen generated observe the Goals. The European Union through the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The CBAM proposes to charge a fee at the entry to the Union states on carbon-intensive goods. This is expected countries exporting to Europe will speed up decarbonization efforts by utilizing hydrogen vectors.
Likewise, countries like Chile signified sustainable development for the industry through their requirements for the production and export of green-sustainable hydrogen…It expresses sustainability certification of hydrogen and derivatives to observe the Goals notably affordable clean energy (7) and climate action (13), but also SDGs 8, 9, 10, 12 and 14.
Inserting the relevant Goals as a guiding principle for hydrogen policies allows us to acknowledge measures that hydrogen benefits are important to ensure no one is left behind through system thinking towards a low-carbon and sustainable future.
How far has your country taken the Goals into consideration?
To be mused again,
Oghosa