Research on Legal Regulations Concerning Marine Hydrogen Energy Development

Ocean hydrogen energy, as a clean, low-carbon, efficient, and renewable energy, is gradually becoming an important energy carrier for China to achieve its "dual-carbon" goals, and its development has significant strategic significance for the country. However, due to the late start of ocean hydrogen energy, there are currently many difficulties such as low technological maturity, insufficient policy support, and incomplete legal support. There exist challenges in the realm of marine jurisdictional disputes, marine environmental pollution, marine biodiversity destruction, and difficulties in international cooperation for development. Regarding the legal regulation of marine hydrogen energy development, at the international law level, a basic legal framework for international cooperation in marine hydrogen energy development and marine environmental protection can be constructed based on fundamental laws such as the UN Charter and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and further legal norms on marine environmental pollution and the protection of marine biodiversity can be proposed based on the Convention on Biological Diversity and the "BBNJ Agreement". At the domestic law level, it is apparent from existing energy-related legal regulations that the Renewable Energy Law fills the legal vacuum for marine hydrogen energy development. In the field of marine environmental protection, Chinese laws and regulations require environmental impact assessments for marine hydrogen energy development to ensure that the marine ecological environment is not harmed. In summary, the utilization of marine hydrogen energy should perfect relevant domestic legislation, establish a targeted environmental impact assessment system for marine hydrogen energy development, and promote international development and cooperation. These proposed improvements aim to provide clear legal guidance for marine hydrogen energy development, promote its sustainable development and utilization, while also protecting the marine environment and social stability.