The majority of Flemish local authorities missed the 2020 climate targets,[1] ust like the Flemish government. However, this did not deter most of them from enthusiastically committing to new goals for 2030. Our survey of 65 local authorities revealed that the road to 2030 will not be easy. A staggering 95% of respondents expressed doubt about achieving these 2030 targets under the current framework of resources and capabilities. With the recent extreme weather in Belgium and various parts of Europe, it is becoming increasingly clear, even to those who were previously oblivious, that climate change is real and approaching rapidly.
To achieve Flemish and local climate objectives, our cities and municipalities will need to adopt a different approach. Yet, beneath the surface of many climate plans, we see politicians clinging desperately to measures and recipes that have been tried in the past and found wanting (subsidies, interest-free loans, etc.). Who was it again who said that it is madness to continue doing exactly the same thing and expect a different outcome? Therefore, we advocate for Flemish and local authorities to open a new front in the fight against climate change. In this article, we argue for fully embracing administrative experimentation and using it as a test case for a decisive mix of climate policies.