Multilateral governance in a global hydrogen economy: An overview of main actors and institutions, key challenges and future pathways

The POD explores all aspects of emerging frameworks and difficulties of global hydrogen governance within the border context of the energy transition. It is demonstrated that hydrogen is a significant energy transporter and source for decarbonization. The study maps multilateral institutions and governance bodies engaged in hydrogen, revealing a fragmented yet evolving structure. Key findings highlight Europe's leadership in hydrogen-specific initiatives and the dominance of high-income nations, which risks excluding developing regions. According to the study's findings, the global hydrogen structure is still a patchwork of various actors and frameworks that each address hydrogen-related issues to differing degrees, even though more recent, hydrogen-specific organizations supplement the larger agenda of the major, long-standing international organizations. By influencing socio-technical transition framework, the article underscores the importance of innovative governance structures in addressing hydrogen's unique market and environmental challenges, while fostering international cooperation and equity in transitioning to a low-carbon energy system.