EU net‑zero target ‘not politically credible’, warns Belgian ECB policymaker

**Belgian Central Bank Governor Questions EU’s 2050 Net‑Zero Goal**

*Brussels, 2 September 2026* – Pierre Wunsch, governor of the National Bank of Belgium and a member of the European Central Bank’s governing council, warned that the European Union’s commitment to achieve net‑zero greenhouse‑gas emissions by 2050 may lack political credibility.

Speaking at a Bruegel conference in Brussels, Wunsch said that continuing to promote the 2050 target despite widespread skepticism could undermine confidence in the EU’s climate policy. “My concern is that it damages the credibility of the policy instrument. Most people will tell you we are not going to be net zero in 2050. That’s what I hear,” he told the audience.

Wunsch described the issue as “the elephant in the room” and acknowledged that his view is not universally shared. He noted that some argue the EU should maintain its commitment even as the United States has withdrawn from the Paris climate agreement, stating, “We’ve taken the commitment.” However, he added that “by pretending we are going there, but having a lot of people believing we are not going there, you lose the credibility of the instrument.”

The governor called for a broader discussion on the EU’s climate targets, suggesting that a reassessment may be necessary to preserve public trust in the bloc’s environmental strategy. No policy changes were announced at the event.

Article and image source: euobserver.com