Namibia advances green hydrogen projects despite legal framework gaps
via The Namibian5 min read
Namibia is moving forward with green hydrogen projects, including the US$10 billion Hyphen Hydrogen Energy project, even though dedicated legislation for the sector is not yet in place. National Planning Commission director general Kaire Mbuende stated at the World Hydrogen Summit and Exhibition in Rotterdam that Namibia is shifting from planning to implementation, aiming to create 30,000 green jobs by 2030 and contribute to global decarbonization. Green hydrogen is a key component of Namibia鈥檚 sixth National Development Plan NDP6, intended to diversify the economy. Projects include the Hyphen project, targeting three million tonnes of green hydrogen annually, the Green Iron Production project, and the Green Transport project with CMB Tech. While some politicians, like Landless People鈥檚 Movement parliamentarian Eneas Emvula, have questioned the lack of specific legislation, Minister of industries, mines and energy Modestus Amutse asserts that existing laws, such as the Environmental Management Act and the Electricity Act, are sufficient. However, Mutindi Jacobs, acting deputy chief in the directorate of law reform and legislation, confirmed that consultations for a green hydrogen draft bill are ongoing, with submission to parliament expected by the end of the year after the green hydrogen policy was completed last year. Jacobs noted that the policy, developed by an interministerial committee, is anchored in the Green Hydrogen Strategy of 2022 and the Green Industrialisation B
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
France secured a 42-15 victory over Japan in Tokyo, concluding their Nations Championship southern hemisphere series. The Six Nations champions scored six tries against Japan, who managed to score two tries through Kippei Ishida and Sojiro Otsuka. This win means France finished their three-game series with victories against Australia and Japan, alongside a loss to New Zealand. Japan's performance in the series included a win against Italy and losses to Ireland and France. France captain Maxime Lucu noted the team's focus on the upcoming World Cup and expressed satisfaction with two wins from three matches. The game, played in 28 Celsius heat and high humidity, saw Matthieu Jalibert and Maxime Lamothe each score two tries for France, with Alexandre Roumat and Lucu adding one each. Japan coach Eddie Jones praised his team's finishers, particularly in the last 20 minutes. France opened the scoring early with a try from Lamothe. Despite setbacks with flanker Lenni Nouchi and lock Florian Verhaege leaving for concussion checks, France maintained control. Japan responded with a penalty and a try from Ishida. France quickly countered with a try from Jalibert, followed by another from Roumat, making his first international appearance since February 2025. Lucu added France's fourth try, but Otsuka scored for Japan before halftime. Jalibert and Lamothe both scored again in the second half. Jalibert was sin-binned for an illegal tackle, and a TMO decision denied Japan another try.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli, driving for Mercedes, recorded the fastest time in the third and final free practice session at the Belgian Grand Prix. The Italian teenager posted a lap of one minute and 45.990 seconds, outpacing McLaren's Lando Norris by 0.139 seconds, with Max Verstappen of Red Bull in third. Norris will face a 10-second grid penalty for Sunday's race. George Russell finished fourth for Mercedes, while Lewis Hamilton, also for Ferrari, placed fifth despite a significant crash at the end of the session. Hamilton lost control at the Fagnes chicane, damaging the rear of his car, though he was unhurt. His car requires extensive repairs before qualifying. Charles Leclerc, Hamilton's Ferrari teammate, was sixth, followed by Oscar Piastri of McLaren. Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto of Audi, and Isack Hadjar of Red Bull, who also has a grid penalty, completed the top ten.
Must ReadNamibia's traditional musical expressions, including rhythms, ritual melodies, and communal songs, are vulnerable to exploitation because the country's 1994 Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Protection Act primarily focuses on identifiable authorship, offering little protection for communally owned works. This legal gap allows commercial entities and artists to record and monetize traditional music without adequately compensating the communities that have preserved these cultural assets for generations. While Namibia signed the Swakopmund Protocol, which promotes free, prior, and informed consent and equitable benefit-sharing for traditional cultural expressions, domestic law has not yet been updated to reflect this framework. The article suggests establishing a specialized statutory structure, possibly under the Business and Intellectual Property Authority Bipa, to act as a legal custodian for undocumented communal musical works. This entity would maintain a national registry and manage licensing, ensuring that commercial exploitation benefits the originating communities through reinvestment in cultural preservation and community projects, rather than simple cash payments. The Namibian Society of Composers and Authors of Music Nascam is also urged to review its royalty handling for traditional or unattributed music to ensure funds support the communities.