Environmental Sustainability
#14Key Findings
Belgium falls into the middle ranks internationally (rank 14) with regard to environmental sustainability.
Disagreements between federal and regional bodies have hampered climate policies. For example, Brussels and Wallonia accepted the EU’s revised greenhouse gas reduction target of 47% by 2030, while Flanders capped its commitment at 40%. Implementation of plans has been slow.
Efforts to address environmental health risks largely derive from European decisions. Each region manages its own environmental strategy, complicating nationwide coordination. A recent contamination scandal raised concerns about water quality and public health.
The country faces major biodiversity challenges, with many species at risk. Biodiversity conservation is primarily a regional responsibility. Climate issues are largely addressed via regulations imposed by the European Union.
Disagreements between federal and regional bodies have hampered climate policies. For example, Brussels and Wallonia accepted the EU’s revised greenhouse gas reduction target of 47% by 2030, while Flanders capped its commitment at 40%. Implementation of plans has been slow.
Efforts to address environmental health risks largely derive from European decisions. Each region manages its own environmental strategy, complicating nationwide coordination. A recent contamination scandal raised concerns about water quality and public health.
The country faces major biodiversity challenges, with many species at risk. Biodiversity conservation is primarily a regional responsibility. Climate issues are largely addressed via regulations imposed by the European Union.
Graph View
Graph View
How committed is the government to the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050?
10
9
9
The government is clearly committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
8
7
6
7
6
The government is largely committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
5
4
3
4
3
The government is only somewhat committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
2
1
1
The government is not at all committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
Belgium adopted a National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) for 2021-2030 in line with EU Regulation 2018/1999. The plan was updated in 2023 due to a European mandate. The EU’s revised climate objectives required Belgium to increase its greenhouse gas reduction target to 47% by 2030, up from 35%. This led to regional disagreements. Brussels and Wallonia accepted the new target, but Flanders capped its commitment at 40%. A partial intra-Belgian agreement was reached in November 2023, enabling the submission of the new plan to the Commission. The Flemish government approved a regional-federal co-responsibility concept, where regions failing to achieve a minimum internal emissions reduction would need to purchase CO2 permits. The federal level would make up for the difference between the fixed threshold and the 47%. Discussions will continue in 2024 but are likely to be limited, as the country is entering a pre-election period (L’echo 2023; Lesoir 2023).
Alongside the NECP, a document outlining Belgium’s decarbonization strategy by 2050 was published in 2019. It set clear sectoral objectives and a transversal vision. However, its binding nature is unclear and likely depends on EU constraints. The Buildings, Transport, and Energy sectors aim for complete decarbonization. However, the Industry, Agriculture, and Waste sectors acknowledge that some emissions may be hard to eliminate entirely. For these sectors, the strategy proposes reducing emissions as much as possible and compensating for the remaining emissions through natural carbon sinks and additional carbon removal technologies (FPS Health, DG Environment, Climate Change Section 2020).
A European advisory scientific committee has existed since 2021. In Belgium, the Federal Council for Sustainable Development brings together civil society players, employee and employer representatives, scientists (all with voting rights), and political representatives (without voting rights). However, it does not solely deal with climate change issues. Civil society, such as the Climate Coalition and the Climate Case, actively participates in the climate debate, with the latter having taken legal actions against Belgian authorities for climate inaction. The ruling ordered Belgian authorities to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030. Therefore, many plans and positive objectives are made and announced, but implementation is lagging.
Citations:
Website for the National Integrated Energy-Climate Plan: https://www.nationalenergyclimateplan.be/en/
Press articles on the difficulties in reaching a regional agreement for the 2023 PNEC:
https://www.lecho.be/dossiers/climat/la-belgique-en-defaut-vis-a-vis-de-l-europe-sur-son-plan-climat/10503496.html
https://www.lesoir.be/551064/article/2023-11-22/enfin-un-accord-intrabelge-sur-lobjectif-climat
Vision and strategic workstreams for a decarbonised Belgium by 2050:
FPS Health, DG Environment, Climate Change Section. 2020. “Vision and Strategic Workstreams for a Decarbonised Belgium by 2050.” https://climat.be/doc/visionandstrategicworkstreamsforadecarbonisedbelgiumby2050.pdf
Website of the Federal Council for Sustainable Development: https://frdo-cfdd.be/en/
The website of the Climate Coalition: https://klimaatcoalitie.be/fr/accueil/
The website of the Climate Case: https://affaire-climat.be/en
Press article on the ruling of the Climate Case: https://www.lesoir.be/552575/article/2023-11-30/la-belgique-une-nouvelle-fois-condamnee-pour-son-inaction-climatique
Alongside the NECP, a document outlining Belgium’s decarbonization strategy by 2050 was published in 2019. It set clear sectoral objectives and a transversal vision. However, its binding nature is unclear and likely depends on EU constraints. The Buildings, Transport, and Energy sectors aim for complete decarbonization. However, the Industry, Agriculture, and Waste sectors acknowledge that some emissions may be hard to eliminate entirely. For these sectors, the strategy proposes reducing emissions as much as possible and compensating for the remaining emissions through natural carbon sinks and additional carbon removal technologies (FPS Health, DG Environment, Climate Change Section 2020).
A European advisory scientific committee has existed since 2021. In Belgium, the Federal Council for Sustainable Development brings together civil society players, employee and employer representatives, scientists (all with voting rights), and political representatives (without voting rights). However, it does not solely deal with climate change issues. Civil society, such as the Climate Coalition and the Climate Case, actively participates in the climate debate, with the latter having taken legal actions against Belgian authorities for climate inaction. The ruling ordered Belgian authorities to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030. Therefore, many plans and positive objectives are made and announced, but implementation is lagging.
Citations:
Website for the National Integrated Energy-Climate Plan: https://www.nationalenergyclimateplan.be/en/
Press articles on the difficulties in reaching a regional agreement for the 2023 PNEC:
https://www.lecho.be/dossiers/climat/la-belgique-en-defaut-vis-a-vis-de-l-europe-sur-son-plan-climat/10503496.html
https://www.lesoir.be/551064/article/2023-11-22/enfin-un-accord-intrabelge-sur-lobjectif-climat
Vision and strategic workstreams for a decarbonised Belgium by 2050:
FPS Health, DG Environment, Climate Change Section. 2020. “Vision and Strategic Workstreams for a Decarbonised Belgium by 2050.” https://climat.be/doc/visionandstrategicworkstreamsforadecarbonisedbelgiumby2050.pdf
Website of the Federal Council for Sustainable Development: https://frdo-cfdd.be/en/
The website of the Climate Coalition: https://klimaatcoalitie.be/fr/accueil/
The website of the Climate Case: https://affaire-climat.be/en
Press article on the ruling of the Climate Case: https://www.lesoir.be/552575/article/2023-11-30/la-belgique-une-nouvelle-fois-condamnee-pour-son-inaction-climatique
Graph View
How committed is the government to protecting the public from environmental health risks?
10
9
9
The government is clearly committed to the goal of protecting environmental health.
8
7
6
7
6
The government is largely committed to the goal of protecting environmental health.
5
4
3
4
3
The government is only somewhat committed to the goal of protecting environmental health.
2
1
1
The government is not at all committed to the goal of protecting environmental health.
Belgian policy on protecting the public from environment-related health risks is largely influenced by decisions made at the European level, much like many actions related to climate change and the environment. This is evident in the EU action plan “Toward Zero Pollution of Air, Water, and Soil,” which aims to reduce pollution at its source. The plan includes objectives such as improving air quality and reducing waste, marine plastic waste, and microplastics released into the environment.
As Belgium is a federal state, decision-making power is shared between the federal state, regions, and communities. Each region has developed its own strategy, approved at its respective government level. This suggests a degree of delegation in policy implementation to bureaucracies and executive agencies. However, the extent to which federal and subnational ministries monitor these bodies’ activities and ensure effective implementation of government policies remains unclear (UNFCC 2022).
In terms of air quality, several cities have implemented low-emission zones (LEZs) that restrict access to the most polluting vehicles. While these measures are effective in reducing atmospheric pollutant emissions, they raise equity issues. For instance, low-income individuals often own small but older cars that they need to go to work. Because of their age, these vehicles are classified as polluting even when their fuel economy is good. Such population groups face great challenges in replacing them with less polluting vehicles.
Air quality in Flanders has been improving for decades in many areas, with most places already meeting the European air quality objectives. In Brussels, a clear improvement in ambient air quality has been observed over the last twenty years. This improvement is attributed to various factors such as the elimination of major emission sources, the reduction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or sulfur in fuels, the removal of lead in gasoline, the introduction of catalytic converters in cars, the renewal of the car fleet, and the increasing use of natural gas for heating. However, certain pollutants such as tropospheric ozone, suspended particles, CO2, and persistent organic pollutants remain problematic. Despite efforts to change the vehicle fleet (LEZs, new regulations for company cars, etc.), road traffic continues to be one of the main sources of health-concerning pollutants in the Brussels-Capital Region. Heating, on the other hand, accounts for 70% of CO2 emissions and 84% of SOx emissions.
In Wallonia, soil pollution, a legacy of past practices, remains a challenge. Old industrial sites, former storage places for chemicals or hydrocarbons, and old public landfills have become uninhabitable due to the confirmed or probable presence of hazardous substances in the soil. Managing and cleaning up these polluted areas remains a top priority for several years.
Recently, a scandal involving PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl) substances, specifically their presence in large quantities in the water supply, first in Flanders in the summer of 2021 and then in Wallonia in the fall of 2023, has raised questions about water quality and its potential impact on public health. Similarly, an investigation led by Belgian media (RTBF) revealed that metal recycling companies in Wallonia are releasing significant amounts of carcinogenic dust into their immediate environment, endangering the health of nearby residents. Despite regulations, these companies often exceed pollution limits by up to 600 times, and some have had their limits reclassified as targets, avoiding penalties.
Citations:
▪ European Environment Agency’s country reports on https://www.eea.europa.eu/
Beleidsplannen – Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij (vmm.be): https://www.vmm.be/lucht/evolutie-luchtkwaliteit/beleidsplannen
▪ Hoe evolueert de luchtkwaliteit in Vlaanderen? – Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij (vmm.be): https://www.vmm.be/lucht/evolutie-luchtkwaliteit/hoe-evolueert-de-luchtkwaliteit-in-vlaanderen
▪ Généralités (wallonair.be), Plan – Pollution (wallonair.be) : https://www.wallonair.be/fr/en-savoir-plus/plan-pollution.html
▪ Pollution locale (wallonie.be) : https://sol.environnement.wallonie.be/home/sols/autres-menaces/pollution-locale.html
Infographies – État de l’environnement wallon (wallonie.be) : http://etat.environnement.wallonie.be/home/Infographies.html
▪ Comment évolue la qualité de l’air | Citoyen – Bruxelles Environnement : https://environnement.brussels/citoyen/lenvironnement-bruxelles/proteger-sa-sante/comment-evolue-la-qualite-de-lair
▪ Bruxelles réunit air, climat et énergie dans une vision intégrée: le CoBrACE et le plan régional PACE | Citoyen – Bruxelles Environnement : https://environnement.brussels/citoyen/nos-actions/plans-et-politiques-regionales/bruxelles-reunit-air-climat-et-energie-dans-une-vision-integree-le-cobrace-et-plan-regional-pace
▪ PLAN_AIR_CLIMAT_ENERGIE_FR_DEF (environnement.brussels) : https://document.environnement.brussels/opac_css/elecfile/PLAN_AIR_CLIMAT_ENERGIE_FR_DEF.pdf
LEZ :
▪ Ghent: Stad Gent zet in op betere luchtkwaliteit door voort te bouwen op de huidige LEZ | Stad Gent : https://stad.gent/nl/groen-milieu/nieuws-evenementen/stad-gent-zet-op-betere-luchtkwaliteit-door-voort-te-bouwen-op-de-huidige-lez
Brussels: Praktisch pagina | Low Emission Zone (lez.brussels) https://lez.brussels/mytax/nl/practical?tab=Impact
Antwerp: Lage-emissiezone | Slim naar Antwerpen : https://www.slimnaarantwerpen.be/nl/lez?gclid=CjwKCAiA-vOsBhAAEiwAIWR0TehD0H2Ixmy6cZM03qUKmMty9jFIIaJV4JYDaoLV3no8snTKgx-EhRoCUvQQAvD_BwE
PFAS
Demir legt productieproces 3M stil na illegale PFAS-uitstoot | De Standaard: https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20230922_97310524
Waalse regering wil waarschuwingsdrempel PFAS | De Standaard: Wahttps://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20231128_97422827alse regering wil waarschuwingsdrempel PFAS | De Standaard
Pollution aux Pfas: une chronologie des faits qui commence en 2017 - Le Soir : https://www.lesoir.be/549968/article/2023-11-17/pollution-aux-pfas-une-chronologie-des-faits-qui-commence-en-2017
Carcinogenic dust:
https://www.lesoir.be/563185/article/2024-01-23/wallonie-la-ministre-tellier-mise-en-cause-dans-la-pollution-des-broyeurs-metaux
As Belgium is a federal state, decision-making power is shared between the federal state, regions, and communities. Each region has developed its own strategy, approved at its respective government level. This suggests a degree of delegation in policy implementation to bureaucracies and executive agencies. However, the extent to which federal and subnational ministries monitor these bodies’ activities and ensure effective implementation of government policies remains unclear (UNFCC 2022).
In terms of air quality, several cities have implemented low-emission zones (LEZs) that restrict access to the most polluting vehicles. While these measures are effective in reducing atmospheric pollutant emissions, they raise equity issues. For instance, low-income individuals often own small but older cars that they need to go to work. Because of their age, these vehicles are classified as polluting even when their fuel economy is good. Such population groups face great challenges in replacing them with less polluting vehicles.
Air quality in Flanders has been improving for decades in many areas, with most places already meeting the European air quality objectives. In Brussels, a clear improvement in ambient air quality has been observed over the last twenty years. This improvement is attributed to various factors such as the elimination of major emission sources, the reduction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or sulfur in fuels, the removal of lead in gasoline, the introduction of catalytic converters in cars, the renewal of the car fleet, and the increasing use of natural gas for heating. However, certain pollutants such as tropospheric ozone, suspended particles, CO2, and persistent organic pollutants remain problematic. Despite efforts to change the vehicle fleet (LEZs, new regulations for company cars, etc.), road traffic continues to be one of the main sources of health-concerning pollutants in the Brussels-Capital Region. Heating, on the other hand, accounts for 70% of CO2 emissions and 84% of SOx emissions.
In Wallonia, soil pollution, a legacy of past practices, remains a challenge. Old industrial sites, former storage places for chemicals or hydrocarbons, and old public landfills have become uninhabitable due to the confirmed or probable presence of hazardous substances in the soil. Managing and cleaning up these polluted areas remains a top priority for several years.
Recently, a scandal involving PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl) substances, specifically their presence in large quantities in the water supply, first in Flanders in the summer of 2021 and then in Wallonia in the fall of 2023, has raised questions about water quality and its potential impact on public health. Similarly, an investigation led by Belgian media (RTBF) revealed that metal recycling companies in Wallonia are releasing significant amounts of carcinogenic dust into their immediate environment, endangering the health of nearby residents. Despite regulations, these companies often exceed pollution limits by up to 600 times, and some have had their limits reclassified as targets, avoiding penalties.
Citations:
▪ European Environment Agency’s country reports on https://www.eea.europa.eu/
Beleidsplannen – Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij (vmm.be): https://www.vmm.be/lucht/evolutie-luchtkwaliteit/beleidsplannen
▪ Hoe evolueert de luchtkwaliteit in Vlaanderen? – Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij (vmm.be): https://www.vmm.be/lucht/evolutie-luchtkwaliteit/hoe-evolueert-de-luchtkwaliteit-in-vlaanderen
▪ Généralités (wallonair.be), Plan – Pollution (wallonair.be) : https://www.wallonair.be/fr/en-savoir-plus/plan-pollution.html
▪ Pollution locale (wallonie.be) : https://sol.environnement.wallonie.be/home/sols/autres-menaces/pollution-locale.html
Infographies – État de l’environnement wallon (wallonie.be) : http://etat.environnement.wallonie.be/home/Infographies.html
▪ Comment évolue la qualité de l’air | Citoyen – Bruxelles Environnement : https://environnement.brussels/citoyen/lenvironnement-bruxelles/proteger-sa-sante/comment-evolue-la-qualite-de-lair
▪ Bruxelles réunit air, climat et énergie dans une vision intégrée: le CoBrACE et le plan régional PACE | Citoyen – Bruxelles Environnement : https://environnement.brussels/citoyen/nos-actions/plans-et-politiques-regionales/bruxelles-reunit-air-climat-et-energie-dans-une-vision-integree-le-cobrace-et-plan-regional-pace
▪ PLAN_AIR_CLIMAT_ENERGIE_FR_DEF (environnement.brussels) : https://document.environnement.brussels/opac_css/elecfile/PLAN_AIR_CLIMAT_ENERGIE_FR_DEF.pdf
LEZ :
▪ Ghent: Stad Gent zet in op betere luchtkwaliteit door voort te bouwen op de huidige LEZ | Stad Gent : https://stad.gent/nl/groen-milieu/nieuws-evenementen/stad-gent-zet-op-betere-luchtkwaliteit-door-voort-te-bouwen-op-de-huidige-lez
Brussels: Praktisch pagina | Low Emission Zone (lez.brussels) https://lez.brussels/mytax/nl/practical?tab=Impact
Antwerp: Lage-emissiezone | Slim naar Antwerpen : https://www.slimnaarantwerpen.be/nl/lez?gclid=CjwKCAiA-vOsBhAAEiwAIWR0TehD0H2Ixmy6cZM03qUKmMty9jFIIaJV4JYDaoLV3no8snTKgx-EhRoCUvQQAvD_BwE
PFAS
Demir legt productieproces 3M stil na illegale PFAS-uitstoot | De Standaard: https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20230922_97310524
Waalse regering wil waarschuwingsdrempel PFAS | De Standaard: Wahttps://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20231128_97422827alse regering wil waarschuwingsdrempel PFAS | De Standaard
Pollution aux Pfas: une chronologie des faits qui commence en 2017 - Le Soir : https://www.lesoir.be/549968/article/2023-11-17/pollution-aux-pfas-une-chronologie-des-faits-qui-commence-en-2017
Carcinogenic dust:
https://www.lesoir.be/563185/article/2024-01-23/wallonie-la-ministre-tellier-mise-en-cause-dans-la-pollution-des-broyeurs-metaux
Graph View
How committed is the government to preserving ecosystems and protecting biodiversity?
10
9
9
The government is clearly committed to protecting ecosystems and biodiversity.
8
7
6
7
6
The government is largely committed to protecting ecosystems and biodiversity.
5
4
3
4
3
The government is only somewhat committed to protecting ecosystems and biodiversity.
2
1
1
The government is not at all committed to protecting ecosystems and biodiversity.
Home to an impressive array of over 55,000 species, Belgium faces substantial hurdles in biodiversity conservation. A significant proportion of species are at risk, including 35% of freshwater fish species, 28% of bird species, 23% of vascular plant species, and 21% of mammal species (OECD 2021). This situation underscores the urgent need for effective conservation strategies.
Nature conservation in Belgium is predominantly a regional responsibility (OECD 2021, 31). Belgium’s commitment to biodiversity conservation is demonstrated through its participation in the European Union’s Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. This binding strategy, part of the European Green Deal, contains specific actions and commitments aimed at protecting nature and reversing ecosystem degradation.
The strategy is comprehensive, targeting various ecosystems in the air, water, and on land. It includes measures for restoring degraded ecosystems, particularly those with the most potential to capture and store carbon and mitigate the impact of natural disasters. The strategy also facilitates necessary transformative change by unlocking funding for biodiversity, initiating a strengthened governance framework, and enhancing knowledge, financing, and investments.
Progress monitoring for the strategy’s implementation is conducted through two online tools: an online actions tracker and a targets dashboard. These tools provide real-time information on the state of implementation and display progress toward the quantified biodiversity targets set by the strategy, both at the EU level and in the member states.
Belgium’s national biodiversity strategy was approved in 2006 for a ten-year period and was updated and extended until 2020. However, as criticized by Natagora, a nature protection association, no extension of the plan has been voted on since then.
The Natura 2000 network, a network of nature protection areas implemented by the European Union, covers only 12.7% of Belgium’s territory, a proportion lower than the EU average of 18.6%. This lower proportion could be partially attributed to the density of inhabited areas in Belgium.
Belgium’s overall performance in biodiversity protection is relatively good according to the global Ocean Health Index (OHI). Belgium excels particularly in the “Habitats” dimension, scoring higher than neighboring countries such as the Netherlands, France, and Germany. While its performance in the “Species Protection” dimension is slightly lower, it still surpasses these neighboring countries.
Citations:
▪ Pollution locale (wallonie.be) : https://sol.environnement.wallonie.be/home/sols/autres-menaces/pollution-locale.html
▪ Etat de l’environnement wallon (wallonie.be) : http://etat.environnement.wallonie.be/home.html
▪ Infographies – État de l’environnement wallon (wallonie.be) : http://etat.environnement.wallonie.be/home/Infographies.html
Villas quatre façades, zones commerciales… coup de frein wallon à l’étalement urbain – Le Soir : https://www.lesoir.be/505371/article/2023-04-04/villas-quatre-facades-zones-commerciales-coup-de-frein-wallon-letalement-urbain
https://omgeving.vlaanderen.be/nl/biodiversiteit
Bodem | Vlaanderen.be : https://www.vlaanderen.be/natuur-milieu-en-klimaat/bodem
▪ Afval | Vlaanderen.be : https://www.vlaanderen.be/natuur-milieu-en-klimaat/afval
Akkoord over betonstop: Vlaamse regering raakt niet aan vergoeding grondeigenaars | De Standaard: https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20201209_95652773
‘Als bouwshift lukt, zal het niet dankzij beleid zijn’ | De Standaard: https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20230804_97288861
Waarom lukte een akkoord over stikstof nu wel? | De Standaard : https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20231114_96303789
Nature conservation in Belgium is predominantly a regional responsibility (OECD 2021, 31). Belgium’s commitment to biodiversity conservation is demonstrated through its participation in the European Union’s Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. This binding strategy, part of the European Green Deal, contains specific actions and commitments aimed at protecting nature and reversing ecosystem degradation.
The strategy is comprehensive, targeting various ecosystems in the air, water, and on land. It includes measures for restoring degraded ecosystems, particularly those with the most potential to capture and store carbon and mitigate the impact of natural disasters. The strategy also facilitates necessary transformative change by unlocking funding for biodiversity, initiating a strengthened governance framework, and enhancing knowledge, financing, and investments.
Progress monitoring for the strategy’s implementation is conducted through two online tools: an online actions tracker and a targets dashboard. These tools provide real-time information on the state of implementation and display progress toward the quantified biodiversity targets set by the strategy, both at the EU level and in the member states.
Belgium’s national biodiversity strategy was approved in 2006 for a ten-year period and was updated and extended until 2020. However, as criticized by Natagora, a nature protection association, no extension of the plan has been voted on since then.
The Natura 2000 network, a network of nature protection areas implemented by the European Union, covers only 12.7% of Belgium’s territory, a proportion lower than the EU average of 18.6%. This lower proportion could be partially attributed to the density of inhabited areas in Belgium.
Belgium’s overall performance in biodiversity protection is relatively good according to the global Ocean Health Index (OHI). Belgium excels particularly in the “Habitats” dimension, scoring higher than neighboring countries such as the Netherlands, France, and Germany. While its performance in the “Species Protection” dimension is slightly lower, it still surpasses these neighboring countries.
Citations:
▪ Pollution locale (wallonie.be) : https://sol.environnement.wallonie.be/home/sols/autres-menaces/pollution-locale.html
▪ Etat de l’environnement wallon (wallonie.be) : http://etat.environnement.wallonie.be/home.html
▪ Infographies – État de l’environnement wallon (wallonie.be) : http://etat.environnement.wallonie.be/home/Infographies.html
Villas quatre façades, zones commerciales… coup de frein wallon à l’étalement urbain – Le Soir : https://www.lesoir.be/505371/article/2023-04-04/villas-quatre-facades-zones-commerciales-coup-de-frein-wallon-letalement-urbain
https://omgeving.vlaanderen.be/nl/biodiversiteit
Bodem | Vlaanderen.be : https://www.vlaanderen.be/natuur-milieu-en-klimaat/bodem
▪ Afval | Vlaanderen.be : https://www.vlaanderen.be/natuur-milieu-en-klimaat/afval
Akkoord over betonstop: Vlaamse regering raakt niet aan vergoeding grondeigenaars | De Standaard: https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20201209_95652773
‘Als bouwshift lukt, zal het niet dankzij beleid zijn’ | De Standaard: https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20230804_97288861
Waarom lukte een akkoord over stikstof nu wel? | De Standaard : https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20231114_96303789
Graph View
To what extent is the government committed and credible in designing and promoting global environmental protection regimes and policies?
10
9
9
Government policy and institutions are fully aligned with efforts to achieve global environmental sustainability.
8
7
6
7
6
Government policy and institutions are largely aligned with efforts to achieve global environmental sustainability.
5
4
3
4
3
Government policy and institutions are somewhat aligned with efforts to achieve global environmental sustainability.
2
1
1
Government policy and institutions are not at all aligned with efforts to achieve global environmental sustainability.
Belgium has been proactive in addressing climate issues, largely due to regulations imposed by the European Union. This commitment is evident in its National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) for 2021-2030, which outlines actions including objectives for greenhouse gas reduction. Despite the European Union deeming these objectives insufficient, they are expected to impact the global environment due to the transboundary nature of greenhouse gas emissions.
The integration of environmental and climate objectives into all aspects of development cooperation is mandated by the 2013 Belgian Law on Development Cooperation. In 2014, the Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DGD), in collaboration with several development cooperation actors, developed a Strategy Note titled “Environment in the Belgian Development Cooperation” (FPS Foreign Affairs 2022). This strategy serves as a comprehensive roadmap for environmental cooperation, integrating conservation and environmental protection across various sectors such as education, infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, and food security. Building on this, the DGD formulated a “Climate Vision” in 2018 (OECD 2021).
An internal evaluation in 2021 commended Belgium’s diversified, integrated, and relevant climate action. However, it also highlighted limitations, including significant but insufficient results in relation to the climate challenge, potential for further climate prioritization, the lack of a clear vision and criteria, and a need for more concrete climate expertise at the project level. The political implications of these recommendations are yet to be determined.
In terms of assessing the effects of development programs on climate and environment objectives, a supporting tool was developed by the research platform KLIMOS, although its use is not systematic. This comprehensive approach underscores Belgium’s commitment to integrating climate and environmental considerations into its development cooperation efforts.
Finally, Belgium’s contribution to the Green Climate Fund (the international commitment of $100 billion for climate-related expenditure) has seen a limited and fluctuating increase since 2014, rising from €142 million to €282 million in 2021, according to Eurostat data. This funding level has been criticized by Belgian associations, including Oxfam, which argues that Belgium’s “fair” climate financing should amount to 500 million euros per year. The CNCD’s 2023 environmental report notes that spending on environmental protection has generally been higher during this legislature than the previous one, although it remains relatively limited, accounting for around 5% of public development aid.
Citations:
Website for the National Integrated Energy-Climate Plan: https://www.nationalenergyclimateplan.be/en/
https://climat.be/politique-climatique/belge/cooperation-internationale
FPS Foreign Affairs – Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation. 2022. “Strategy note – Environment – Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.” https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/policy/policy-areas/striving-global-solidarity/environment
OCDE. 2021. Integrating Environmental and Climate Action into Development Cooperation: Reporting on DAC Members’ High-Level Meeting Commitments. Paris: Éditions OCDE. https://doi.org/10.1787/285905b2-en
Special Evaluation Office of the Belgian Development Cooperation. 2021. Evaluation of the International Climate Finance by the Belgian Federal Government. Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation. https://diplomatie.belgium.be/sites/default/files/2022-04/ade_ses_climate_finance_evaluation_final_report_volume_i-main.pdf
KLIMOS website: https://ees.kuleuven.be/eng/klimos/index.html
Eurostat data: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/sdg_13_50__custom_9277293/default/table?lang=en
Oxfam thinks Belgium’s contribution should be higher: https://trends.levif.be/a-la-une/politique-economique/le-financement-climat-ou-lhistoire-dune-promesse-non-tenue-a-100-milliards-de-dollars/
CNCD-11.11.11. 2023. Rapport 2023 sur la coopération belge au développement. Bruxelles: Office de publication du CNCD. Available at https://www.cncd.be/Rapport-2023-sur-la-cooperation
The integration of environmental and climate objectives into all aspects of development cooperation is mandated by the 2013 Belgian Law on Development Cooperation. In 2014, the Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DGD), in collaboration with several development cooperation actors, developed a Strategy Note titled “Environment in the Belgian Development Cooperation” (FPS Foreign Affairs 2022). This strategy serves as a comprehensive roadmap for environmental cooperation, integrating conservation and environmental protection across various sectors such as education, infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, and food security. Building on this, the DGD formulated a “Climate Vision” in 2018 (OECD 2021).
An internal evaluation in 2021 commended Belgium’s diversified, integrated, and relevant climate action. However, it also highlighted limitations, including significant but insufficient results in relation to the climate challenge, potential for further climate prioritization, the lack of a clear vision and criteria, and a need for more concrete climate expertise at the project level. The political implications of these recommendations are yet to be determined.
In terms of assessing the effects of development programs on climate and environment objectives, a supporting tool was developed by the research platform KLIMOS, although its use is not systematic. This comprehensive approach underscores Belgium’s commitment to integrating climate and environmental considerations into its development cooperation efforts.
Finally, Belgium’s contribution to the Green Climate Fund (the international commitment of $100 billion for climate-related expenditure) has seen a limited and fluctuating increase since 2014, rising from €142 million to €282 million in 2021, according to Eurostat data. This funding level has been criticized by Belgian associations, including Oxfam, which argues that Belgium’s “fair” climate financing should amount to 500 million euros per year. The CNCD’s 2023 environmental report notes that spending on environmental protection has generally been higher during this legislature than the previous one, although it remains relatively limited, accounting for around 5% of public development aid.
Citations:
Website for the National Integrated Energy-Climate Plan: https://www.nationalenergyclimateplan.be/en/
https://climat.be/politique-climatique/belge/cooperation-internationale
FPS Foreign Affairs – Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation. 2022. “Strategy note – Environment – Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.” https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/policy/policy-areas/striving-global-solidarity/environment
OCDE. 2021. Integrating Environmental and Climate Action into Development Cooperation: Reporting on DAC Members’ High-Level Meeting Commitments. Paris: Éditions OCDE. https://doi.org/10.1787/285905b2-en
Special Evaluation Office of the Belgian Development Cooperation. 2021. Evaluation of the International Climate Finance by the Belgian Federal Government. Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation. https://diplomatie.belgium.be/sites/default/files/2022-04/ade_ses_climate_finance_evaluation_final_report_volume_i-main.pdf
KLIMOS website: https://ees.kuleuven.be/eng/klimos/index.html
Eurostat data: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/sdg_13_50__custom_9277293/default/table?lang=en
Oxfam thinks Belgium’s contribution should be higher: https://trends.levif.be/a-la-une/politique-economique/le-financement-climat-ou-lhistoire-dune-promesse-non-tenue-a-100-milliards-de-dollars/
CNCD-11.11.11. 2023. Rapport 2023 sur la coopération belge au développement. Bruxelles: Office de publication du CNCD. Available at https://www.cncd.be/Rapport-2023-sur-la-cooperation