UNIDO held its first International Conference on Hydrogen in Industry at the Vienna International Centre on 8 April 2026. More than 350 representatives from governments, international organisations and civil society across 70 countries participated.
Held under the theme “Clean Hydrogen: Shaping Sustainable Industry’s Future,” the event focused on the role of hydrogen in industrial decarbonisation, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors such as steel and fertiliser production.
Main conclusions
The conference highlighted several requirements for scaling clean hydrogen:
- policy, technical and institutional readiness;
- credible industrial applications where direct low-carbon alternatives were limited;
- international public finance and investment-risk reduction;
- suitable market frameworks and standards;
- workforce skills and training;
- stronger coordination between developed and emerging economies; and
- socially and environmentally responsible deployment.
Cooperation agreements
The event resulted in partnership agreements between UNIDO and:
- Dii Desert Energy, supporting investment, market development and international coordination; and
- Women in Green Hydrogen, strengthening inclusion and gender equality in the hydrogen transition.
Practical relevance
The discussions confirmed that clean hydrogen should be directed towards high-impact industrial applications where it offered clear advantages. For regional authorities, this meant linking hydrogen strategies with realistic industrial demand, skills, infrastructure and access to finance.
Available materials
UNIDO published an official conference summary and related resources, including the programme, a photo gallery and a recording of the event.