Speaker
Description
Belgium illustrates some of the key tensions in delivering a just transition in Europe: pronounced regional economic disparities, uneven exposure to climate risks, and differing capacities for long-term planning. These challenges are particularly visible in Limburg, where the transition toward a climate-neutral economy began not as a choice, but as a necessity.
In the 1980s, all coal mines in Limburg were closed, despite employing over 30,000 people and forming the backbone of the regional economy and identity. Coal mining had created prosperity and cultural diversity, but also a vulnerable mono-industrial structure. Initial policy responses focused mainly on economic compensation and social measures.
Over time, growing awareness reframed the region’s future: sustainable recovery required a strategic shift toward a climate-neutral and innovation-driven economy. This strategy did not emerge from comprehensive academic master plans, but from a hands-on, quasi bottom-up process led by municipalities, regional actors, and civil society.
A pivotal insight shaped the transformation: build the future with what already exists. The adaptive reuse of former mining sites—giving coal mines a new, forward-looking purpose—became both a symbolic and practical driver of renewal. By repositioning industrial and cultural heritage within the broader challenge of climate neutrality, Limburg demonstrates the long-term and systemic nature of a just transition. The case shows that while transitions are complex and ongoing, historical assets can serve as powerful anchors for sustainable regional transformation.
| If your abstract is not accepted for an oral presentation, would you be interested in presenting it as a poster instead? | Yes |
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| If accepted by the Scientific Board, I agree to have my presentation/poster and abstract published on the Belgian Climate Centre websites and social media. | Yes |
