Belgium targets carbon neutrality by 2050 and an emissions cut of about 47% by 2030 (outside the ETS market) versus 2005, in line with the European Green Deal. Nuclear power shapes the debate: Doel 4 and Tihange 3 were extended to 2035-2036, while the phase-out law was repealed. The transition's cost (renovation, renewables, grids) divides two poles: a cautious approach mindful of bills and industry, and a very ambitious one betting on rapid decarbonisation.
In short
"Cautious" poleCautious
"Very ambitious" poleVery ambitious
UpdatedJun 22, 2026
Where the parties stand on Climate & energy
CautiousVery ambitious
#Party & stancePositionPole
1ECOEcoloFREcolo commits to 100% renewable energy by 2050 and 30% by 2030, and plans the end of nuclear power alongside a large-scale building renovation programme.96+
2PTBPTB·PVDAFR·NL⚑ Radical stanceThe PTB·PVDA aims for a transition to 100% renewables and proposes halving energy consumption by 2050 through a public company investing in wind power and building renovation.82+
3PSPSFRThe PS backs carbon neutrality by 2050 and a path toward 100% renewables, decarbonising production, without ruling out a transitional nuclear extension.76+
4VRTVooruitNLVooruit wants to renovate 180,000 homes a year so all Flemish dwellings are energy-efficient by 2040, and does not close the door to nuclear power.72+
5LELes EngagésFRLes Engagés propose a "four quarters" recipe for 2050 (25% savings, 25% renewable electricity, 25% nuclear, 25% green fuels), deeming nuclear necessary.58~
6CD&VCD&VNLCD&V supports European climate policy without setting stricter targets, focuses heavily on solar power and aims for at least 10 gigawatts of installed photovoltaic capacity by 2030.48~
7VLDOpen VLDNLOpen VLD wants to exit fossil fuels as fast as possible relying on the market and innovation, combines wind, solar and nuclear, and seeks to relax permit rules for renovations.46~
8MRMRFRThe MR wants to extend nuclear reactors that meet safety requirements and build new baseload units, while also expanding photovoltaic and wind energy.42−
9N-VAN-VANLThe N-VA wants to repeal the nuclear phase-out law, keep existing plants open as long as possible and prepare new reactors, viewing the Green Deal as too ambitious.28−
10VBVlaams BelangNL⚑ Radical stanceVlaams Belang calls for scrapping the European Green Deal and wants to reinvest in nuclear power as the backbone of the mix, deeming solar and wind insufficient for supply security.8−
+Closer to: Very ambitious (≥ 60)~Mixed / centrist stance (45–59)−Closer to: Cautious (< 45)⚑Radical stance
⚑For neutrality, parties with radical positions (PTB·PVDA on the left, Vlaams Belang on the right) are never ranked first, even when their stance is the most pronounced on the axis: they are placed just below the first party of government. The rule applies identically on the left and on the right.
Frequently asked questions
How do you read this Climate & energy ranking?−
This is a POSITIONS view, not a "best party" verdict. Each party is placed on a 0–100 axis between two poles — "Cautious" (low) and "Very ambitious" (high) — based on its official 2024 manifesto, parliamentary votes, the Chapel Hill Expert Survey and Belgian media. A higher score simply means a position closer to the "Very ambitious" pole, not a better or worse stance.