2025/12/31 by Daniel Goodwin, Fred Gale, Heather Lovell +3 · 1 voice
Environmental Science · Social Sciences · #Climate Change and Sustainable Development #Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy #Sustainability and Climate Change Governance
paper · doi:10.1080/1523908x.2025.2608983
openalex created_date 2025/12/31 · openalex publication_date 2025/12/31 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
Hydrogen generated using renewable energy can support decarbonisation in priority sectors where it has sustainability benefits compared with alternatives. To help navigate the governance of sustainability, standards, certification, and labelling schemes (SCLs) have been employed to differentiate hydrogen products based on their system-wide carbon emissions and method of production characteristics. In this article, we employ interviews (n = 19) with Q-methodology to uncover stakeholder perspectives on incorporating sustainability into renewable hydrogen certification in Tasmania, Australia. This island case study provides a geographically constrained context, with unique energy system, governance, and social characteristics. Building on a novel stakeholder typology, our analysis reveals three perspectives that diverge on the desirability for sustainability criteria and for international SCL harmonisation. Conversely, the results identify consensus topics that may help bridge divides and coalesce broader coalitions. We conclude on the benefits of Q-methodology for understanding potential consensus and conflict, and for exploring pathways to change. Presently, global SCL proliferation is at the detriment of sustainability. We make recommendations for more integrated solutions, including through policy that promotes local governance experimentation guided by a comprehensive sustainability framework.