The Role of Climate Policy in the Hydrogen Economy: An Analysis of the EU and the US

In December 2025, our article with Jaqueline Pinto has been published in The Cambridge Journal of Climate Research Volume 2, Issue 2, and is available via this link.

In this paper, we explore a question: Do climate goals actually drive the creation of hydrogen markets? To answer this question, we analyse the legal frameworks for hydrogen in both the EU and the US. We were particularly curious about whether renewable hydrogen can develop without explicit climate targets. Besides this, in light of recent policy developments, how can low-carbon hydrogen frameworks remain aligned with climate objectives?

Abstract

Globally, renewable and low-carbon hydrogen is attracting popularity for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in hard-to-abate sectors. This article employs comparative legal analysis to examine regulatory frameworks governing hydrogen in the EU and the US over the past five years, interrogating climate goals as drivers for hydrogen sector development. Initially characterised by divergent approaches, with the EU emphasising renewable hydrogen through its RFNBO framework and the US adopting technology-neutral definitions, both jurisdictions are now converging towards broader low-carbon pathways, reflecting shifting priorities driven by amongst others political and geopolitical pressures.

The article investigates whether, inter alia, (i) climate goals drive hydrogen market creation; (ii) renewable-only hydrogen can emerge absent climate targets; and (iii) current low-carbon hydrogen frameworks can deliver on climate objectives whilst balancing energy security and geopolitical considerations. It also looks at the possible effect of the ICJ Advisory Opinion on Climate Change on the hydrogen economy. The findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between climate policy and hydrogen regulation, demonstrating that climate goals are catalysts for renewable and low-carbon hydrogen market development.

Publication

Citation

Pinto, Jaqueline, and Maryna Hritsyshyna. “The Role of Climate Policy in the Hydrogen Economy: An Analysis of the EU and the US.” Cambridge Journal of Climate Research, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 52-74.

Links

The Cambridge Journal of Climate Research

The Cambridge Journal of Climate Research – Diamond Open Access

Journal Issue: Cambridge Journal of Climate Research – Volume 2, Issue 2

Publication: The Role of Climate Policy in the Hydrogen Economy: An Analysis of the EU and the US