Michel Cornet

Climate Transition Leader | EU Policy, Industrial Decarbonisation & Net Zero Pathways | Former Partner at Climact | Advisor to EU Institutions, SBTi & Foundations

Brussels Metropolitan Area

About

I am a climate transition strategist with 15+ years of experience helping governments, EU institutions, foundations and companies turn climate ambition into implementable pathways. As Partner at Climact, I co-led the growth of one of Europe’s leading climate consultancies, supporting work across 40+ countries on industrial decarbonisation, transition plans, clean heat, finance alignment and net-zero pathways. My experience spans policy design, quantitative modelling, stakeholder coalitions and executive leadership. I am particularly motivated by roles where rigorous analysis can unlock high-impact action in Europe and globally.

Experience

  • CLIMACT (17 yrs 1 mo)
    • Board Member
      Feb 2020 - Present · 6 yrs 6 mos

      Supports company strategy and governance

    • Energy & Climate change Partner
      Jul 2009 - Sep 2025 · 16 yrs 3 mos

      • Co-led the growth of Climact from boutique advisory firm to a ~50-person recognised European climate strategy consultancy. • Directed a €1M+ business unit delivering projects across EU climate policy, industrial decarbonisation, corporate transition strategy and quantitative modelling. • Led strategic assignments for European Commission (DG CLIMA, DG FISMA, JRC), foundations, industry leaders and financial actors. • Designed transition plans, sector pathways and decarbonisation methodologies supporting alignment with EU climate objectives. • Built multi-country transition models covering 40+ countries and multiple cities to inform policy and investment decisions. • Led industrial transition roadmaps for hard-to-abate sectors including steel, cement, lime, glass, and pulp & paper. • Advised executive teams (CEO/CXO level) on climate ambition, strategic positioning, footprinting, LCA and transition planning.

  • Board Observer at ARK Capture Solutions
    Aug 2024 - Present · 2 yrs

  • Sustainability Advisor at ClimateAI
    Nov 2017 - Present · 8 yrs 9 mos

  • Technical Advisor to the Science Based Targets Initiative at The Science Based Targets initiative
    Sep 2015 - Feb 2021 · 5 yrs 6 mos

    Contributed to methodology development for sectoral decarbonisation pathways and corporate target-setting. Supported technical credibility of one of the world’s leading corporate climate standard-setting initiatives.

  • Sustainability Advisor at Waio
    Aug 2018 - Dec 2019 · 1 yr 5 mos