MUNICH & PFORZHEIM, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 10, 2026--
For the major economies, the transformation towards a climate-neutral industry is one of the central tasks for the coming decades. While the European Union has pledged climate neutrality by 2050, China’s goal is to be climate-neutral by 2060. Hydrogen is a key to transforming their manufacturing and energy industry. However, the actual market development is lagging behind these ambitious objectives: According to the Global Energy Report 2025, only 11 percent of hydrogen projects announced since the start of the decade are now in operation or have been secured by investment decisions. This is why ees Europe, Europe’s largest and most international exhibition for batteries and energy storage systems, is putting a spotlight on hydrogen. The newly aligned exhibition segment Hydrogen Dialogue Forum & Expo in hall B2 will be giving in-depth information about the opportunities for hydrogen technology, technological innovation, savings potential and ground-breaking projects from June 23–25. The exhibition will be complemented by the Hydrogen Dialogue Summit taking place at ICM – Internationales Congress Center München on June 24 and 25. ees Europe is one of four exhibitions held as part of The smarter E Europe. Around 2,800 exhibitors and over 100,000 trade visitors are expected.
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According to the Global Energy Report 2025, around 100 million metric tons of hydrogen were produced in 2024. Around 99 percent came from fossil fuels. The ongoing energy crisis is driving home the consequences of fossil dependency. “The repeated price shocks and supply risks that are inherent to the fossil energy industry are raising awareness of the strategic value of renewables and green hydrogen,” says Markus Elsässer, founder and CEO of Solar Promotion GmbH. “A future-proof energy system depends on more than the production of clean electricity. We also have to ensure its intelligent storage and cross-sector availability. Only by flexibly coupling decentralized generation, modern battery storage and hydrogen electrolysis can we ensure a secure energy supply for industry. Green hydrogen is a key lever to make Germany’s and Europe’s energy supply resilient and technologically independent with stable electricity prices.”
The industry desperately needs this energy carrier for steel production, high-temperature processes exceeding 1,000 Celsius and the production of synthetic fuels for heavy goods, sea and air transport. So far, however, there are not enough electrolyzers to implement this. “The role of hydrogen as an energy carrier of the future is still not fully recognized. The Hydrogen Dialogue covers the entire value chain and is designed to set a clear signal in favor of ramping up production,” says Jens Mohrmann, Managing Director of Freiburg Wirtschaft Touristik und Messe GmbH & Co. KG (FWTM).
Hydrogen Dialogue Summit 2026
The Hydrogen Dialogue Summit will be shedding light on the hydrogen industry’s current trends and challenges. On June 24, the spotlight will be on Germany. On June 25, all eyes will turn to Europe and the wider world. On both days, policymakers and industry leaders will be discussing the strategic importance of hydrogen for a future resilient and climate-friendly energy supply with German and European decision makers from industry and associations. The Hydrogen Dialogue Summit is sponsored by Bavarian Minister of State for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, Hubert Aiwanger, who will be opening the event.
For more information, please visit:
www.ees-europe.com
www.TheSmarterE.de
Overview of the competitiveness of green hydrogen. ©Solar Promotion GmbH
GENEVA (AP) — The United Nations’ top human rights official called Wednesday for a “massive rethink” of immigration policies especially in the United States around the World Cup.
Issues around “racial profiling, surveillance and immigration enforcement” were cited by U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk even before the 48-nation, 39-day tournament starts Thursday.
Iran’s team was moved from a training camp in Arizona to Mexico, some Iranian officials were denied U.S. entry visas, Africa’s top referee from Somalia was refused entry in Miami and images circulated of a Senegal player being frisked by a security guard on airport tarmac.
“We have seen some of the scenes,” Türk told reporters at a briefing at the U.N.’s human rights agency headquarters.
“I hope that the issues around racial profiling, around surveillance, around immigration enforcement are not going to affect this World Cup in the way that they have already done,” the Austrian lawyer said.
The U.S. is hosting most of the 104 games in a shared project with Canada and Mexico, though it is only the policies of federal agencies under U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration that have drawn criticism.
“I really hope that there is a massive rethink of how immigration enforcement is respecting human rights and human dignity,” Türk said, “and that especially for the World Cup there is a rethink of the policies that we are unfortunately seeing prevailing especially in the U.S. at the moment.”
Türk said global sports should be “where the world comes together in unity and in peace.”
“It is clear that the environment in which mega sport events including the World Cup take place need to provide a dignified and safe environment, for the teams that compete but also for the supporters, for the whole society and frankly for the world,” he said.
Fans from countries like Morocco and Scotland, who spent thousands of dollars on flights, hotels and tickets for the most expensive World Cup ever, have reported having their travel documents denied or revoked just days before they were due to travel.
FIFA’s bidding rules in 2017 for nations wanting to host this World Cup stated visa processing “must be applied in a non-discriminatory manner,” with the caveat it must not “adversely affect the national immigration and security standards.”
In the case of Somali referee Omar Artan, a U.S. official said he was refused admission due to “association with suspected members of terror organizations,” though without specifying details or providing proof.
FIFA was unable to protect the referee it picked for World Cup duty despite its president Gianni Infantino building closer ties to Trump and administration officials in the past 18 months.
FIFA also has aligned itself with UN guiding principles on business and human rights that it pledged should be respected at its tournaments.
Türk highlighted a wider point about the treatment of people worldwide moving between different nations.
“I also hope that the dehumanization of the other, the dehumanization of migrants, the dehumanization of refugees and asylum seekers is put to an end,” he said. “Nobody benefits from divisive and polarizing narratives.”
Referee Omar Artan, center, who was denied entry to the United States, is welcomed by supporters upon his arrival in Mogadishu, Somalia, Wednesday, June 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Farah Abdi Warsameh)
Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu takes a picture with fans after a training session Monday, June 8, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn., ahead of the World Cup soccer tournament. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Fans for team Iran wave as players arrive for the World Cup soccer tournament in Tijuana, Mexico, Sunday, June 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk speaks to the media, at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Palais Wilson, in Geneva, Switzerland, Wednesday, June 10, 2026. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)
