Selected environmental performance indicators
Effective tax rates on CO2 emissions are low, especially in non-road sectors
The status of habitats and species is of concern
Material productivity improved and landfilling has fallen further
Economic activity grew faster in Flanders than in Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region
Fossil fuels and nuclear dominate the energy mix
Renewable sources increased, but they remain low
Industry, transport and buildings consume the most energy
Road transport is increasing
Transport, buildings and industry are the main sources of GHG emissions
Belgium is not on track to achieve climate neutrality by 2050
Belgium is on track to meet its 2030 air pollutant emission reduction objectives
Nitrogen and phosphorus balances are high
Most freshwater abstractions are used to produce electricity
Belgium has a long way to go to achieve the targets of good status for water bodies
Non-compliance is declining in the Flemish Region
The use of administrative fines is rising in the Brussels-Capital Region
Natural capital is deteriorating
Environmentally related tax revenue is below the OECD Europe average
Revenue from energy taxes has been increasing with diesel taxation
Taxes on diesel and petrol were aligned in 2019
Support to fossil fuel consumption: Tax expenditure increased with diesel taxes
Households have contributed an increasing share of energy-related tax revenue
Public expenditure for environmental protection increased with support to sustainable energy
Industrial investment for environmental protection increased significantly
Investment needs in sustainable energy and mobility are high
Investment in rail has shifted to road
Government R&D budget on environment decreased, while energy RD&D budget targets mostly nuclear
Belgium has specialised in waste management technology
Waste management is an important sector, but circular economy has room for development
A significant number of species are threatened
Protected areas have increased
Three-quarters of Belgian forests are in Wallonia
Material productivity improved as consumption of construction materials declined
Material productivity is above the OECD Europe average
Construction generated one-third of total waste in 2018 and has grown since 2010
Municipal waste generation is low
Belgium recovers, recycles and composts nearly all of its municipal waste
Public investment for waste management has fluctuated, but local governments have remained the main investors
Both imports and exports of hazardous waste have remained fairly stable since 2010
Exports of paper and cardboard waste declined, but exports of plastic scrap grew