Climate Leap Event

The Climate Leap Event Program

The Climate Leap Event Program featured practical case studies, policy updates, and interactive sessions on industrial transition, innovation, circularity, and climate solutions within the chemical and plastics sectors.

The main topics covered key takeaways from the event and the new Climate Leap Event Program 2026–2030.

• The Program aimed to accelerate the Flemish basic industry’s shift to a competitive, climate‑neutral future, with a clear focus on the (petro)chemical, steel, and energy sectors.
  
  
• Speakers presented the updated roadmap study that underpins the new Climate Leap Program 2026–2030, outlining concrete transition pathways for industry.
  
  
• Practical case studies showcased pioneers and innovators demonstrating scalable solutions in energy‑intensive sectors.
  
  
• Panels examined how suppliers of critical technologies, researchers, civil‑society actors, investors, and policymakers can coordinate to make the climate transition a reality.
  
  
• Carbon capture, storage, and utilization (CCS/CCU) were discussed as pivotal yet challenging technologies, with emphasis on deployment barriers, regulatory needs, and commercial pathways.
  
  
• Sessions covered strategies for circularity, low‑carbon production, and maintaining competitiveness during the transition.
  
  
• Networking created new connections between industry leaders, policymakers, and potential investors, opening opportunities for collaboration and investment.

Takeaways from Luc Plancke - CEO and Founder, Enperas

We asked CEO and Founder of Enperas, Luc Plancke, to share his insights about the event, and here's what he told us:

❝ Our Flemish minister-president Matthias Diependaele had a strong opening, not with words but with cash! Liberating 2 billion euros for the climate transition.

The Flemish transition will focus on
1. Biomass used as feedstock and aviation fuel
2. Circular plastics
3. Electrification
4. Blue Hydrogen
5. CCS/U

CCS/U topic was presented in more detail by Tomas Wyns from the Free University of Brussels.

Then our industry took the lead through inspiring panel discussions. Geert Van Poelvoorde from ArcelorMittal took the optimistic lead and assured that there was a future for liquid steel in Europe due to policy changes. This change was not “the pause button” that hit the sustainability sector in 2024. Instead, it is the announced 2 billion or the reinvestment of ETS revenues in our industry and the implementation of CBAM to support a levelled playing field.

We know from first experience that every CO₂ equivalent counts at ArcelorMittal, but I still was surprised by diversity of all their decarbonisation projects, like Steelanol; CO₂ CCU due to conversion into ethanol through biochemistry.

Yves Verschueren from essenscia, was less optimistic for the chemical industry. He did underline that the green deal is in essence the right policy but that more is needed to protect the chemical industry.

Accompanied by Gert Jan ten Cate from Air Liquide they made a pledge to also drive the demand side with labelling. As a green steal section just looks grey when applied. Hence a call to answer from our Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) community let’s generate more type II declarations TfS, or make work of type III Chain of Custody Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) to valorise these green investments.

Tine Schaerlaekens from Moonshot Flanders, Annemie Bogaerts from University of Antwerp and Liesbeth Stockman from Port of Antwerp-Bruges showcased sustainable tech into practise with Sustainable Aviation Fuel from TotalEnergies explained by Tom Claerbout, CO₂ recycling from D-CRBN explained by Marjon Willekens and lactic-acid from waste by Triple W3.

Kurt Vandenberghe, General director DG CLIMA, closed the event stating that thanks to the climate policy there is an industrial policy. It results into an innovation and investment therapy that modernises our industry and makes it more resilient and pledges more Green Deal.

My congratulations to Mark Andries and the Team Bedrijfstrajecten - VLAIO team for lifting sustainable development and the Green Deal back in the saddle! ❞

The Climate Leap Event reinforced that the transition to a carbon‑circular, low‑carbon, and competitive basic industry is both urgent and actionable. CEO and Founder of Enperas, Luc Plancke, returned with concrete leads and a clearer direction for aligning our Enperas’ LCA software and LCA Consultancy strategy with the new Climate Leap Program 2026–2030.