Bellona Climate Action Conference 2026
Come hear CurrENT’s Secretary General, Layla Sawyer, speak at this year’s Bellona Climate Action Conference, taking place on 1 October 2026 at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels.
This year’s conference explores a defining question for Europe:
How can climate ambition become a strategic advantage in a decade of geopolitical turbulence and uncertainty?
Under the theme – Climate ambition through uncertainty: how climate action drives competitive industrial transformation in a decade that demands ambition and implementation – we will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, trade union representatives, academia, and civil society for a dialogue on Europe’s industrial future.
Topics will cover the foundations of Europe’s transition; from scaling electrification and protecting natural sinks, to reducing dependence on fossil fuels, building clean markets, and developing critical climate infrastructure, examining how Europe can translate climate ambition into long-term economic and industrial competitiveness.
The conference will take the format of a half-day event including lunch, followed by a networking reception. Panel discussions will feature balanced stakeholder representation alongside presentations of recent research and projects.
Agenda
12:00–13:00
Registration & Lunch
13:00–13:05
Welcome & Introduction
Bellona Europa
13:05–13:20
Keynote Address
Commissioner Dan Jørgensen, DG ENER
13:20–14:10
Panel Discussion
Charting the Course: Navigating the ETS Through 2040
14:10–14:40
Fireside Chat
IAA and the Public Procurement Directive
14:40–15:30
Panel Discussion
What Role Will the Bioeconomy Play in the Post-2030 Framework?
15:30–16:00
Coffee Break
16:00–16:50
Panel Discussion
Grid or Gridlock: How Can Infrastructure Deliver Industrial Decarbonisation Through Electrification?
16:50–17:20
Presentation
Making the CO₂ Infrastructure and Markets Regulation work for Climate Action
17:20–17:30
Closing Remarks
Jonas Helseth, Executive Director
17:30–20:00
Reception & Networking
