The Conference for a Just Transition in Belgium
After more than two years of planning by a wide range of stakeholders, the Conference took place on 8 and 9 November and brought together around 350 people: ministers, ministerial representatives, scientists, experts, employers, trade unions, civil servants, associations and citizens of the Agora, to debate the just transition. Day 1 was devoted to taking stock of the General Estates. The event kicked off with a plenary session opened by Jean Pisani-Ferry, Professor at Science Po Paris, who presented a study carried out for France Stratégie on the 'Macroeconomic impacts of the climate transition', and Hans Bruyninckx, former Director of the European Environment Agency and currently Professor at the University of Antwerp. The results of the work of the High Committee, the Citizens' Agora and the federal administrations were then presented. The afternoon was devoted to four workshops organised around the themes of "Agriculture and Food", "Mobility", "Buildings" and "Healthcare". During these workshops, the floor was given to scientists, witnesses, Agora ambassadors and a panel of experts.
Day 2 was devoted to public policies and concrete recommendations. The country's different advisory councils produced opinions, and ministers from the relevant regions and communities were invited to discuss them. The opinions issued by consultative bodies and other institutions focused on the following themes:
- gender (opinion submitted by the Institute for the Equality of Women and Men),
- international solidarity (opinion drafted by the Advisory Council on Policy Coherence for Development and the Federal Council for Sustainable Development)
- financing and investment (opinion drafted by the Federal Council for Sustainable Development)
- energy and resources (opinion drafted by the Federal Council for Sustainable Development)
- employment, education and training (opinion drafted by the National Labour Council and the Central Economic Council)
- poverty (opinion drafted by the Combat Poverty, Insecurity and Social Exclusion Service).
Each of these presentations was the occasion for debate between representatives of the political world, civil society, scientists and the public.
The full Conference programme and the names of the ministers attending can be found here.
You can find all the presentations given at the Conference here:
You will find the published opinions here: