Louis Meuleman

Louis Meuleman studied peat bog ecology in Ireland, switched to making environmental policy at regional, national and European level, did a PhD on public (meta)governance, and ultimately developed the skills of – as he likes to say – an organisational psychologist who motivates people to actually implement sustainable development. Sometimes blunt as a Dutchman can be and always goal-oriented, he believes that here is a crack in everything, in any system, in any organisation, and that’s how the light gets in (to paraphrase Leonard Cohen).

With this attitude, he worked at the European Commission, became affiliated as guest professor at Antwerp University, chairs the scientific committee of the European Environment Agency in Copenhagen, chairs the think tank Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future in New York, was vice chair of the UN Committee of Experts on Public Administration, and is director of the consultancy Public Strategy for Sustainable development.

Louis lives in Brussels with his wife Inge (also a seasoned sustainability governance expert), loves taking the (non-e) bike to move through the hilly city, and fell in love with the small local football club who became champion of Belgium in 2025.

Together with CoR-EU President Karl Falkenberg Louis initiated in Brussels the Beau Lieu Café, a series of lively talk shows on sustainability that are supported by a live band. “The Beau Lieu Cafés are an example of what imagination and perseverance can do. Everybody said it was impossible when we started this. But it has become an indispensable meeting place for environmental and sustainability professionals and beyond.”