Belgian Science for Climate Action Conference 2026 - “Achieving climate neutrality and just transition in Belgium” - Concluding note
The conference “Achieving climate neutrality and just transition in Belgium” brought together Belgian scientists from various disciplines, all active in research related to the just transition towards a climate-neutral society, over a two-day period. The keynote speeches, oral presentations in the 15 parallel sessions, and poster sessions provided opportunities to take stock of the latest scientific advances and to discuss with stakeholders the practical implications of this research and the prospects it opens up.
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The four keynote speakers provided particularly relevant insights into the scale of the challenges and the links with a wide range of other environmental and societal issues.
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In her presentation, Samantha Burgess demonstrated, based on the most recent observations, the acceleration of global warming in recent years and the intensification of extreme weather events, calling for stronger action to build greater resilience.
Myles Allen, highlighted the absolute necessity of reducing emissions from fossil fuels, offsetting emissions through geological storage (up to 100% by 2050), and the importance of establishing a system to ensure that an increasing proportion of emissions generated by the supply and use of fossil fuels are offset.
Katherine Richardson, meanwhile, emphasised the uniqueness of the Earth and the ecosystems it hosts, the imperative need to limit pressure on the various critical processes within this system, and the necessity of using the finite resources at our disposal more efficiently.
In her presentation on societal transitions, Heleen de Coninck shed light on the many solutions available to us to achieve the transition, but which face institutional or other barriers, and on the conditions required to overcome these barriers, whether institutional, financial, behavioural, technological or political. She also emphasised the imperative of social justice as a prerequisite for a successful transition.
The conference also provided an opportunity to consider the latest advances in research on physical climate science and the consequences of climate change in Belgium. The presenters highlighted the increase in the frequency and severity of hot and dry events, and the increase in the intensity and probability of extreme rainfall events, particularly in autumn and winter. It was also shown that younger generations will be exposed to heatwaves and water shortages in their lifetimes in ways never seen before, a risk that is significantly heightened by continued fossil fuel emissions.
An overview of the decarbonisation of Belgian society was provided, along with a broad overview of decarbonisation scenarios. Whilst current indicators demonstrate the scale of the journey still ahead to achieve climate neutrality in Belgium, and the insufficient pace of the transformations underway, the speakers also highlighted the technical feasibility of this transition, and the need for offsetting residual emissions in sectors where emissions cannot be completely eliminated. Given the still dominant share of fossil fuels in Belgium’s energy mix, accelerating the phase-out of these fuels, improving energy efficiency and advancing electrification, along with the underlying investments and targeted policy interventions, clearly appear to be a priority for Belgium. The various presentations highlighted a range of solutions with a significant impact on reducing our emissions.
The sector-specific sessions (energy, buildings, transport, agriculture, industry) were particularly illuminating regarding the specific challenges facing these sectors, the numerous technological, financial and socio-economic solutions available, and the conditions needed to implement them.
Decentralised, self-managed solutions for renewable energy production were put forward to contribute to the establishment of a decentralised and equitable energy supply system, although the regulatory framework needs to be adapted. Changes to the permit-granting process for renewable energy installations and improved consultation with the various stakeholders were also identified as priorities, with a view to achieving a better spatial distribution of projects. The impact of climate change on winds in the North Sea and the need to take this into account when planning future installations were also highlighted. Issues due to wake effects and related production and revenue losses were also presented .
The challenges of the transition to a decarbonised buildings sector were extensively illustrated. A systemic approach and consideration of equity appear to be essential factors in achieving carbon neutrality in this sector. The impact of renovation obligations on prices was also presented.
Case studies were presented illustrating the need to better integrate climate adaptation into transport system planning, as well as the importance of integrated, multi-level governance to enable the deployment of EV infrastructure. The persistent socio-technical lock-in limiting mobility transitions also emerged as a major obstacle.
The session dedicated to industry highlighted certain gaps or inconsistencies in the “EU’s multi-level governance framework for zero-emission energy-intensive industries”. This session also highlighted innovations such as the use of iron powder as an energy carrier, or ‘Carnot batteries’, and the prospects for development.
In the agri-food sector, speakers presented the latest research on optimising crop rotations in Belgium, with a view to moving towards self-sufficiency, and highlighted the risks of yield instability due to global warming. Greater consideration of negative externalities (such as the use of fertilisers and plant protection products, the impact on biodiversity, etc.) and climate challenges will be major drivers of change in agri-food systems in the coming years.
Research was also presented on the circular economy, highlighting the insufficient consideration given to this aspect in transition frameworks and planning. Case studies were presented, shedding light on the many challenges in this area.
Economic and financial issues were the subject of a specific session. The issue of carbon pricing was addressed, highlighting in particular the need to preserve the integrity of the ETS system, maintain a stable and predictable regulatory framework, and put complementary instruments in place. The role of green bonds was also examined.
Issues of governance and legal frameworks were also addressed. The presenters highlighted Belgium’s institutional complexity and the fragmentation of decision-making structures, which are not suited to the requirements of climate governance, and the resulting risk of inconsistency. Whilst the European framework acts as a safeguard, it cannot alone remedy all the shortcomings of the Belgian system. Experiences of participatory democracy were discussed, as were innovations in the governance of natural resources.
Issues of equity and social justice were also addressed. The contributions of the social sciences to foresight and the development of visions for a just transition were highlighted. Social and ecological challenges give rise to institutional responses that have historically been built on different rationales, which need to be reconciled. Case studies were presented, demonstrating the possibility of a just transition in industrial areas undergoing restructuring, and the factors for success.
The contribution of behavioural sciences was also discussed. It was notably emphasized that inconsistent or economically driven climate policy decisions can trigger negative emotions and public discontent, which in turn influence collective action and climate engagement, and that pro-environmental decisions depend on attention, perceived effort, and trade-offs with personal benefits, highlighting cognitive effort as a key but often overlooked barrier to sustainable behavior.
The interactions between climate change and ecosystems were raised. Observations indicate that ecosystems are dynamic climate actors, which must be monitored over the long term. In particular, the growing demand for land for various interventions was highlighted, which can only be met through a multifunctional and integrated approach to land use planning. Trade-offs will be inevitable, but can to some extent be mitigated through sobriety.
The importance of appropriate climate services for decision-making was also discussed, highlighting the need for high-resolution climate data to accurately assess local risks and support effective adaptation planning, particularly in urban environments, as well as the need to translate this data into concrete, sector-specific decision-support tools.
An overview was also provided of CDR solutions and their potential for development in Belgium. The potential, limitations and existing regulatory frameworks for CCS implementation were presented, highlighting the need for enhanced cooperation between Belgium and its neighbours, and for the development of a COâ‚‚ transport network to facilitate the deployment of this technology. Novel approaches, such as enhanced weathering, have also been highlighted.
The question of how best to communicate climate science to policymakers was the subject of a panel discussion. It emerged that involving decision-makers in the research process was identified as a key factor in ensuring that results are usable and aligned with real-world constraints. The use of plain language, framing the message around solutions rather than the crisis, and maintaining good links with media s and NGOs were all identified as key success factors for ensuring maximum impact from research work.
Informative sessions on careers, and on the projects and activities of the Belgian Climate Centre, rounded off the conference programme.
The next ‘Belgian Science for Climate Action Conference’ is scheduled for the first half of 2028.