December 08, 2023
The temperature on Earth is rising more rapidly than previously thought due to increased carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air. Current levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have not been reached in 14 million years on Earth. This is what a group of scientists published on Thursday in the Science journal. The study results […]
December 08, 2023
Since the Brussels Capital Region introduced a low-emission zone (LEZ) in 2018, there has been a 30% reduction in nitrogen dioxide along Brussels’ main roads. Brussels Environment has also observed similar and more significant reductions for other pollutants. Air quality in Antwerp has also improved significantly over the past decade. However, traffic remains the primary […]
December 08, 2023
Airlines expect to carry 4,7 billion passengers next year, a historic record dixit the International Air Transport Association (IATA). According to the umbrella organization, the airline industry will also post a net profit of 25,7 billion dollars in 2024, a slight improvement on the 23,3 billion dollars the industry is most likely to post this […]
December 07, 2023
The Belgian gas system operator Fluxys has decided to partner with two German companies to develop cross-border CO2 pipelines to transport and store CO2 in the North Sea. The companies announced the deal on Wednesday, during the Belgian state visit to Germany. Fluxys previously concluded an agreement with the German oil and gas company Wintershall […]
December 05, 2023
The CEOs of five of the world’s biggest shipping companies called at the COP28 for an end date for fossil-only powered newly built ships in an ‘unprecedented’ joint declaration. They urge the global regulator, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), to create regulatory conditions to accelerate the transition to green fuels. The five are Danish A.P. […]
December 04, 2023
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for a global carbon tax during an event on carbon markets at the UN Climate Summit COP28 in Dubai on Friday. “Putting a price on carbon is a way to reduce emissions while encouraging innovation and growth,” von der Leyen said. Today, only 23 percent of all […]
December 04, 2023
Belgium, Flanders, and Brussels must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 (compared to 1990). According to the Brussels Court of Appeal, these three governments have so far not done enough to protect citizens’ human rights. The Belgian climate policy violates two articles of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantee the ‘right […]
November 30, 2023
Brussels public transport operator MIVB/STIB has ordered 36 electric buses from German manufacturer Daimler Buses. The order is part of a framework agreement for up to 80 standard low-floor buses. The first eCitaro-bus from that order should enter the fleet in early 2026. A new order for 14 additional articulated e-buses is also planned soon. […]
November 28, 2023
De Lijn will order up to 1 600 charging points to charge electric buses in its depots. The Flemish public transport company is placing the order with two suppliers: TM SPIE-Ekoenergetyka and ABB. De Lijn will purchase some 320 to 490 charging points in the first phase, representing an investment of 15,3 million euros. The […]
November 23, 2023
The speed limit on the Paris Ring Road will drop from 70 to 50 km/hour. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo announced this during the presentation of the capital’s new 2024-2030 climate plan. Moreover, a lane on the ring road will be reserved only for taxis, public transport, and carpooling. The new speed limit on the périphérique […]
November 23, 2023
In 2022, governments worldwide spent a record amount of money – more than 1 500 billion euros – to support the fossil industry. Most of the money (1 200 billion euros) went to fossil fuel subsidies, but last year, many more investments went to renewable energy than was previously the case. That is what the […]
November 20, 2023
In 2019, the wealthiest one percent of the world’s population – 77 million people – produced as much carbon pollution as the five billion poorest people, representing two-thirds of humanity. The wealthiest one percent was responsible for 16% of global consumption emissions in 2019 – more than all car and road transport emissions. That is […]
November 03, 2023
A team of scientists led by world-known climatologist and former NASA researcher James Hansen is working on a new study that warns of a possible short-term spike of planetary heating 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2050. Ironically, the sudden surge of warming – predominantly since 2010 – is driven mainly by the steep […]
November 02, 2023
The German Finance Minister, Christian Lindner (FDP), doubts that Germany can stop generating energy from coal by 2030. However, the early phasing out of coal-fired power stations is included in the coalition agreement of two years ago. In the 2021 coalition agreement, the German Social Democrats, the Greens, and Lindner’s liberal Free Democratic Party agreed […]
November 01, 2023
Despite all efforts to combat global warming, the 425 most polluting coal, gas, and oil projects in the world have not been completed in recent years. On the contrary. International media research has shown that the world still has 425 ‘carbon bombs’ – 195 oil and gas projects and 230 coal mines. Now, what exactly […]
October 26, 2023
The ministerial cabinets of the federal government and the various federated entities have already traveled around the world 66 times since coming to power. This carried a price tag of over 33 million euros, and the trips generated 1 500 tons of CO2 emissions. So write the IPM Group newspapers, including La Libre Belgique. By […]
October 25, 2023
Last Tuesday, British multinational oil and gas company Shell opened its largest solar farm in Europe in Terneuzen (Zeeland, the Netherlands). The park has more than 128 000 solar panels and can produce 71,1 megawatts of power. “The new solar park will contribute significantly to achieving the climate goals in Zeeland,” Shell says. However, it […]
October 25, 2023
On Tuesday, the European Commission presented new measures to boost the European wind power industry to achieve the European Union’s targets for renewable energy generation by 2030. The European Union aims to reach its climate goal of generating 42,5% of the EU’s total energy consumption from renewable sources by 2030. Wind energy, which accounted for […]
October 25, 2023
Rail operator Lineas, Europe’s largest private freight operator headquartered in Belgium, lacks funds. Without an additional injection of at least 50 million euros, bankruptcy is looming for the company, of which the Belgian government is a shareholder, so write business newspapers De Tijd and L’Echo. Belgian federal Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) wants the government […]
October 24, 2023
In its latest edition of the ‘World Energy Outlook 2023’, released on Tuesday, the International Energy Agency (IEA) says that “as things stand, demand for fossil fuels is likely to remain far too high” to maintain the most ambitious climate goal of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement: to limit the rise in average global temperatures […]
October 18, 2023
Guerrilla climate activists Tyre Extinguishers deflated tires of 55 SUVs in Ghent during the night from Monday to Tuesday. This was a coordinated action, as that same night activists also struck in cities in Germany, the Czech Republic, and Latvia – a first. In total, the tires of more than 200 SUVs were deflated. The […]
October 17, 2023
The European Union will defend eliminating fossil fuels well before 2050 at the November COP28 climate summit in Dubai. This is rated in the joint position adopted unanimously by the 27 member states. “The transition to a climate-neutral economy requires the elimination of ‘unabated’ fossil fuels at the global level,” meaning no CO2 is captured […]
October 17, 2023
The proposal of the EU to cut CO2 emissions of heavy trucks and buses by 90% from now until 2040 is getting a mixed response from the industry and environmentalists. European car manufacturers federation ACEA wants supporting targets for the infrastructure and transport companies, while Transport & Environment (T&E) feels the short-term targets are too […]
October 11, 2023
Hydrogen gas (H2) can be used as fuel for cabs and other cars in Brussels without any problems. That is the conclusion reached by D’Ieteren’s Taxis Verts and Colruyt’s Virya Energy after a one-year pilot project involving more than 55 000 km of driving. According to the two initiators, the zero-emission technology could, in the […]
October 10, 2023
Antwerp-based tanker shipping company Euronav remains in Belgian hands. Compagnie Maritime Belge (CMB) and the Norwegian Frontline, Euronav’s two major shareholders, have reached an agreement on the matter. The agreement is described as one of the largest deals in the shipping industry in recent decades. “A huge milestone”, says CMB CEO Alexander Saverys, who is […]
October 10, 2023
Nearly 10 major European cities, including Paris, Brussels, and Rome, have petitioned the European Parliament, demanding stricter standards for air quality and exhaust emissions. The 27 EU member states approved in September a watered-down regulation. This has yet to be negotiated with the European Parliament, which has not yet determined its position. The 27 do […]
October 09, 2023
In the Antwerp port area, logistics company Wijngaard Natie is now driving around with four fully electric trucks, produced by Volvo Trucks. This would be the first all-electric port transport in Antwerp, although Katoen Natie is also using the Volvo FH Electric. The four trucks should mark a turning point in the transition to sustainable […]
October 03, 2023
Last week, under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the UK government announced a pushback to 2035 from its earlier defined net-zero policies from 2024 to 2030, in line with most EU countries like France, Germany, or Sweden. This mandate regulates the number of ICE cars and vans that can still be sold yearly until the sales […]
September 27, 2023
Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius will only be achievable with a rapid acceleration of climate protection efforts and international cooperation. The International Energy Agency (IEA) stated that in its new ‘Net Zero Roadmap’ edition. If climate protection measures are not accelerated and implemented as planned by 2030, massive reliance will have to be […]
September 26, 2023
Austrian Airlines, a subsidiary of Germany’s Lufthansa, can no longer advertise that flying can be “CO2 neutral”. An Austrian court has ruled that. In turn, Carsten Spohr, Lufthansa’s CEO, has hinted that his airline would have to consume half of Germany’s electricity production for its entire fleet to fly on e-fuels. According to the French […]
September 26, 2023
Despite climate ambitions to phase out carbon emissions by 2050, fossil companies continue to invest in new oil pipelines and platforms, shale gas projects, and even coal mines. To finance these activities, they increasingly rely on the cooperation of the banks. That is what the newspaper De Tijd revealed on Tuesday, based on research from […]
September 26, 2023
Air France-KLM is to order 50 Airbus A350 aircraft from European aircraft manufacturer Airbus. The first deliveries are scheduled for 2026 through 2030. With the order, Air France-KLM aims to expand and renew its long-haul fleet. The airline had previously ordered 41 Airbus A350s. Of these, 22 have already been delivered. The order also includes […]
September 26, 2023
The Dutch railway company Arriva intends to offer travelers some additional train connections. The company wants to operate trains from The Hague and Amsterdam to Antwerp, Brussels, and Brussels Airport from 2027 onward. Arriva opposes the monopoly of NS, the national rail network in the Netherlands. Therefore, the company applied to operate 26 rail routes […]
September 25, 2023
Dutch energy supplier Eneco is to withdraw from the Brussels residential market. No more new customers will be accepted, and existing contracts will not be renewed after expiry. According to Eneco, the decision results from overly complex regulations and overprotection of customers. As a result, conditions are no longer profitable and unsustainable in the short […]
September 25, 2023
Twenty-six Antwerp action groups have joined forces and launched an election memorandum on Friday about mobility in the province of Antwerp. The memorandum calls for a “catch-up” effort, including “substantial investments” in public transport and pedestrian and cycling facilities. According to the activists, the promised “modal shift” to at least 50% of journeys that must […]
September 25, 2023
By 2026, Wallonia will get 11 additional Carpool car parks for 1 118 spaces. Wallonia will thus have a total of almost 5 000 Carpool spaces. The news has been reported by the newspaper La Capital, based on information from Walloon Mobility and Infrastructure Minister Philippe Henry (Ecolo). 30% more Today, Wallonia has almost 3 […]
September 21, 2023
The Prime Minister of the UK, Rishi Sunak (Conservatives), is attempting to water down the UK policy to ban the sale of new combustion vehicles in 2030. The British car industry doesn’t seem happy at all with this policy change. “To give us more time to prepare, I’m announcing that we’re going to ease the […]
September 13, 2023
On Tuesday, the Members of the European Parliament (MEP) updated the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) to raise the share of renewables in the EU’s final energy consumption to 42,5% by 2030. Member states should strive to achieve 45%. The legislation will also speed up procedures to grant permits for new renewable energy power plants, such […]
September 08, 2023
The Global Maritime Trends 2050 Report, commissioned by Lloyd’s Register, revealed that some of the world’s largest ports could become unusable due to rising sea levels. According to the study, efforts to decarbonize the maritime shipping sector and introduce new technologies will be crucial. Weather-related disruptions are already impacting ports across the globe. These include […]
August 30, 2023
More and more experts warn that European countries struggle to persuade people to switch from ICE cars to EVs. Europe sells ten times more electric cars today than it did six years ago (source: IEA), but its fleet is cleaning up too slowly to meet the agreed climate goals. “What we have learned is that […]
August 29, 2023
As earlier announced, London is expanding its environmental zone. Almost all of London will become an ultra-low-emission zone (ULEZ) as of today. The measure is intended to tackle pollution, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve the air quality for residents and visitors. But not everybody is happy with the new ultra-low-emission zone because it will […]
August 24, 2023
Frank Energie, a new Dutch energy supplier, wants to conquer Belgium after the Netherlands, with dynamic hourly prices to allow EV owners to charge at home when prices are at their lowest, for instance. CEO Hans van der Woude does not hide his ambitions: After further growth in Belgium, Spain, and France, the start-up wants […]
August 24, 2023
On Wednesday, Norway opened the world’s first floating wind farm explicitly built to power offshore oil and gas installations and is now supplying electricity to oil and gas fields Snorre and Gullfaks in the Norwegian North Sea – 140 km off the Norwegian coast. Crown Prince Haakon of Norway gave the symbolic green light by […]
August 17, 2023
27% fewer cars in the Brussels Pentagon and also 36% more cyclists: these are the striking figures the City of Brussels can present after exactly one year of Good Move, the Regional Mobility and Circulation Plan for the Brussels Capital Region. “Brussels is thus becoming an even nicer place to be,” says a satisfied Bart […]
August 17, 2023
Porthos, a project for storing carbon dioxide from industry in the port of Rotterdam, has been given the green light. The Dutch Council of State has ruled that the nitrogen released while constructing the infrastructure for CO2 storage does not significantly impact the nearby nature, contrary to what environmentalists claim. So the permits issued by […]
August 09, 2023
According to European observation program Copernicus figures, last July was the warmest month ever recorded in human history. Last month, those measurements were 0,33 degrees Celsius higher than the warmest month ever recorded so far, July 2019, with an average temperature of 16,63 degrees. July was the hottest month and the month with the highest […]
July 28, 2023
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), demand for coal remains at record levels this year. At the same time, extreme weather conditions prove the earth is warming up faster than ever due to C02 emissions. “Climate change is here, it’s terrifying, and this is just the beginning,” said United Nations top man António Guterres […]
July 20, 2023
The Belgian Seavolt project, announced earlier this year, is taking concrete shape. The consortium will soon launch its first floating solar panels in Ostend. If the initiators succeed in making solar energy profitable at sea, they hope to turn it into a new Belgian export product. In March, the Belgian marine engineering companies DEME and […]
July 17, 2023
Federal Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) wants a total ban on night flights from 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. for Zaventem airport. As expected, many political parties, concerned companies, and interest groups reacted sharply and negatively to Gilkinet’s striking proposal to do away with the 16 000-night flights that currently take off from Brussels Airport. […]
July 14, 2023
More European cities are fighting against heavy ‘obese cars’ like pickup trucks and sports utility vehicles (SUVs). Paris, among others, is moving ahead with a plan to make overweight cars pay more parking fees. Other cities are also growing exasperated by the impact of SUVs. Amsterdam and Brussels, among others, are examining measures to discourage […]
July 07, 2023
French railway company SNCF plans to earmark 1 000 hectares of solar panels by 2030 to cover 15 to 20% of its own electricity needs. The plans would make the railway company one of France’s largest green power producers. The SNCF is making this switch to secure supplies and control costs (between 2022 and 2023, […]
July 05, 2023
The Swedish/Chinese car manufacturer Volvo Cars switches to renewable fuels for ocean freight. The company claims that this will cut fossil CO2 emissions by 84%. “Every year, tens of thousands of containers of production material destined for Volvo Cars factories are carried across the world’s oceans on container ships. From now on, most seafaring journeys […]
July 04, 2023
According to the latest Clean Cities Campaign, comparing emission-free mobility in 42 European cities, Brussels (11th place), Antwerp (12th), and Ghent (18th) have achieved a place in the top twenty rankings. Liège, on the other hand, sits in 36th place. Still, all four Belgian cities could step up their game toward a zero-emission future, especially […]
June 29, 2023
Denmark will review the energy island project in the North Sea because of the high costs. That is what the Danish government announced on Wednesday. “The project is challenging, the costs are too high, and the risks are too great,” the Danish Ministry of Energy explains in a press release. “The island would cost the […]
June 27, 2023
It is by no means certain that the European Union will achieve its ambitious climate and energy targets for 2030 with the current measures, warns the European Court of Auditors in a new report. Moreover, the foundations of the member states’ climate plans are not transparent, so it’s unclear whether they are feasible. The Auditors […]
June 26, 2023
According to Shell Recharge’s annual EV Driver Survey, Europe is at the tipping point of mass adoption of electric cars. Real-world experiences make EV drivers slowly swallow their range anxiety, the ones still seeing a problem dropping from 60 to 50%. 47% don’t feel the need to recharge daily, and there is no turning back […]
June 26, 2023
In an open letter to the EU, 41 firms call for bigger ambitions on the greening of transportation in the logistics sector. Among the companies are Heineken, Nike, the Colruyt Group, and shippers like DFDS and Maersk. They say that increasing the targets will lower costs and make it easier to decarbonize fleets. More precisely, […]
June 12, 2023
The Brussels public transport company MIVB/STIB aims to reduce its emissions by 40% by 2030. To provide an increasingly environmentally friendly service to passengers, it is focusing on converting to an electric fleet. But also by striving to follow a set of principles grouped under the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Today, all MIVB/STIB […]
June 12, 2023
Some 200 people from ‘Non au plan Good Move’ protested the Brussels Good Move mobility plan in Anderlecht on Sunday. The local committees against the mobility plan from several Brussels municipalities are demanding a new regional mobility plan for Brussels. The committees recently succeeded in collecting the required 1 000 signatures with which to interpellate […]
June 09, 2023
Two electric ‘hydrant fuel dispensers’, which pump fuel from the underground piping system into the aircraft, will come into operation at Brussels Airport from next year. The new custom-made devices are part of the greening of the airport sector, says the operator. Ordered by Skytanking The vehicles were ordered by the company Skytanking, which provides […]
