Green capitalism or social and ecological justice? : analysing contested green hydrogen developments in Chile

he energy transition is not only topical in an European context, but has important ramification for the Global South. In his master’s thesis, Jakob Rammer addresses this global dimension and provides a nuanced analysis of energy projects in Chile supported by European actors. Using the example of the emerging hydrogen sector in Chile, Jakob Rammer examines the complex interrelationships between global capitalist dynamics and local socio-ecological conflicts from a critical political-economic perspective. Building on a sophisticated theoretical framework that productively combines critical state theory, regulation theory, and political ecology, Mr. Rammer highlights the contradictions of green capitalist hegemony in Chile. Particularly noteworthy is the systematic analysis of the three competing political initiatives (export-oriented green capitalism, state-led energy transition and industrialization, social and ecological justice), which enables a nuanced understanding of the actor constellations at play. While the transition to renewable energies is important also in a Global South context, the study makes the important point that this must not lead to a renaissance of (post-)colonial extractivism at the expense of the local population and the environment. The thesis thus makes a significant contribution to the academic and policy discussions around the global energy transition by critically interrogating the economic and ecological repercussions of new investment projects in the Global South.