Green hydrogen and the political economy of decarbonization and extractivism in Southern Africa
| When: | Thursday, 26 June 2025 - Thursday, 26 June 2025 |
| Where: | Hybrid Event Parktown Management Campus North Lodge, Parktown Management Campus, 2 St David's Place, Parktown, 2193 |
| Start time: | 12:30 |
| Enquiries: |
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| RSVP: | Register now! |
| Cost: | Free but registration is required. |
SCIS invites you to a seminar by Sam Ashman on Green hydrogen and the political economy of decarbonization and extractivism in Southern Africa.
The Southern Centre for Inequality Studies invites you to a seminar by Sam Ashman titled Green hydrogen and the political economy of decarbonization and extractivism in Southern Africa. This hybrid session will take place on 26 June 2025, at 12:30 - 14:00 (SAST).
Abstract:
International climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies are producing new levels of demand for the metals and minerals necessary for the transition, as well as for land and water resources necessary for new energy frontiers like green hydrogen. Many fear that the push for green energy will not foster prosperity and a new relationship between extractivism and development but rather reproduce or even deepen inequalities within and between countries.
This seminar presents a paper that explores these issues in relation to the green hydrogen economy emerging in southern Africa which is producing hype, hope, and skepticism in equal measure. There are dangers that Global South countries meet Global North strategic priorities, and possibly generate yield for portfolio investors, but in the process do little to address domestic energy poverty or broader development, whilst reinforcing external debt vulnerabilities and technological dependency. The paper draws on research work undertaken in Namibia and South Africa.
Speaker bio:
Sam Ashman is an associate professor of economics at the University of Johannesburg and a research associate at the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand. She has 15+ years’ experience in political economy, development economics, and economic policy in the Global South. She has published on the impact of (uneven) globalization, neo-liberalization, and financialization. Her research interests include postapartheid economic development in South Africa; financialization; industrial development and industrial policy; the state and economic development; and the political economy of combined and uneven development. She is currently working on issues around (un)just energy transitions and sustainable development.
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