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SpanishActivists Criticize Hydrogen Week for Alleged 'Greenwashing' and Colonialism
In an interview with POLITICO, Chrissie Rose, a member of the Action Organising Coalition that spearheaded recent protests, accused Hydrogen Week of serving as “another attempt to greenwash the image of European oil and gas companies, who rely on exploitative practices, imperialist violence, and colonial control to make profits.”
Simultaneously, pro-Palestinian activists joined the protests, calling to disrupt the event over one of its sponsors, Italy’s Snam, which partly owns a pipeline connecting Israel to Egypt. The pipeline includes infrastructure off the Gaza coast, stirring further controversy.
“Snam is not only complicit in genocide but actively profits while our people are being massacred,” said Naji Muhammad, a campaigner with Global Energy Embargo for Palestine. “What we need is a comprehensive energy embargo to stop the use of energy in fueling genocide.”
A Snam spokesperson refuted the claims, describing them as “inappropriate” and defending the pipeline as “a rare example of regional cooperation.”
Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, CEO of Hydrogen Europe, a trade association, dismissed criticisms that hydrogen production has a disproportionately harmful impact on developing countries. “Allegations of ‘colonialism’ overlook the fact that all hydrogen-related agreements are made with the informed consent of the governments in these countries. The West is not extracting sunshine or wind power from them,” he said.
However, activists in countries where renewable hydrogen projects are located argue the industry is structured to facilitate Europe’s green transition, leaving them to bear the brunt of environmental impacts.
“Chile’s ambition to produce the world’s cheapest hydrogen hides the sacrifice of territories and vital ecosystems necessary for the sustainability of life in our region and the planet,” said Natalia Lueje, a campaigner with environmental group Sustentarse in Chile.
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