April 12, 2024
The European Parliament has approved stricter CO2 standards for buses and trucks. This includes the requirement that all new buses should be emission-free by 2035 and almost all new trucks by 2040. The European Council still must give the green light, but this is considered a formality. A complete ban on combustion engines for lorries […]
April 04, 2024
The European Union wants to work on improving cycling infrastructure among its member states and wants to make (electric) cycling more attractive. This is stated in the “European Declaration on the Use of Bicycles,” signed by the EU’s three central legislative institutions on Wednesday. “Cycling has numerous benefits: it reduces pollution and traffic congestion and […]
April 04, 2024
The fuel mix of Norway’s national fleet is nearing a watershed moment. The share of electric cars is poised to eclipse gasoline cars by the end of the year. As a result, fossil fuel sales are also declining. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are on the verge of outnumbering petrol cars in Norway, signaling a potentially […]
April 02, 2024
The granting of Brussels Airport Company’s new environmental permit is provoking opposed reactions. According to the citizen forum Burgerforum Luchthavenregio, the Flemish government has let down the residents of the surrounding municipalities around the airport. The Federal Ombudsman also feels that health and pollution have not been sufficiently considered. The Flemish liberal political party Open […]
March 21, 2024
The court in Amsterdam has condemned KLM for various misleading green claims in advertisements. According to the judges, the Dutch airline painted too rosy a picture of the beneficial effects of, for example, forest projects as CO2 compensation and the use of more sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The ruling states that such measures only marginally […]
March 20, 2024
The period 2014-2023 was the warmest decade on record, exceeding the 1850-1900 average by 1.20°C. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “Earth’s issuing a distress call. Fossil fuel pollution is sending climate chaos off the charts.” The planet is on the brink of the abyss, the United Nations warns. Last year, in particular, was the hottest […]
March 19, 2024
Brussels Airport accounts for 5.41 billion in added value and more than 64,000 jobs. According to a study on the economic impact commissioned by Zaventem Airport, the Universities UAntwerpen and UCLouvain presented these results on Monday. Meanwhile, management and unions at Brussels Airlines also reached an agreement on Monday regarding better pay for cabin crew. […]
March 14, 2024
Belgian organic farmer Hugues Falys is taking TotalEnergies to court over the French oil company’s role in climate change. This is the first climate case against a multinational in Belgium. Several human rights and environmental organizations support the case, including Greenpeace and the International Federation for Human Rights. “The climate crisis has a huge impact […]
March 13, 2024
Up to 35,000 public charging points for EVs will be added in the Dutch provinces of Flevoland, North Holland, and Utrecht by 2027. The first charging points could already be on the streets from the middle of this year, according to project agency MRA-Elektrisch, which tendered for 74 municipalities for this purpose. The Netherlands passed […]
March 07, 2024
According to Copernicus, the Earth Observation component of the European Union’s space program, the last three months have been the hottest worldwide. February was part of a series of nine consecutive monthly records, driven by continued greenhouse gas emissions and the El Niño weather phenomenon. In its latest monthly report, published on Thursday, the European […]
March 04, 2024
Last year, the rich countries had the lowest energy CO2 emissions in fifty years. Developed economies benefited from further wind and solar energy growth, swapped coal for gas more often, and saved on energy consumption. In a new report, the International Energy Agency (IEA) points out that countries must help weaker economies because the amount […]
February 26, 2024
Share organization Dégage!, with more than 6,000 members, calls in a memorandum for a favorable parking regime in Ghent that encourages people to share their cars. For example, it wants to make parking more expensive for non-shared cars. It also calls for increasing the number of shared cars in the city to 3,000 by 2030. […]
February 26, 2024
The number of bicycle paths along regional roads in Flanders that are in excellent or decent condition has increased slightly, by 3,3%, to 63,8%. This is according to the new bicycle paths report of the Agency for Roads and Traffic (Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer, AWV), which gives a picture of about 7,000 km of bicycle […]
February 22, 2024
European aerospace corporation Airbus and French oil company TotalEnergies are joining forces to address sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) challenges. The partnership should contribute to reducing CO2 emissions from the aviation sector to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Eventually, SAF supplied by TotalEnergies can reduce up to 90% of CO2 emissions over their lifecycle compared […]
February 21, 2024
Flanders’ Christian Democratic party CD&V wants to phase out the low-emission zones. That is what party chairman Sammy Mahdi said during a debate at the Automotive eMotion Summit in the Skyhall, the former departure hall of Brussels Airport. According to Mahdi, these zones have proven successful in reducing the amount of air pollution. However, diesel […]
February 20, 2024
Researchers from the University of Oxford have discovered that Britain sends more polluting used cars to poorer countries than it does to scrapyards. The study found that legally exported used cars had 53% higher emissions of nitrogen oxides per kilometer – key health-harming air pollutants – than those that were scrapped instead. It also warned […]
February 20, 2024
Brussels Airport has started installing additional solar panels on the roofs of the newest Brucargo buildings, the cargo zone of Zaventem’s airport. The extra panels will cover a surface of 65,000 square meters or roughly the equivalent of nine soccer fields. They must double the share of solar energy in the airport operator’s own energy […]
February 15, 2024
Official figures in the UK from the Environment Department (Defra) show that the increase in wood burners in homes and the use of biomass in industry has offset cuts in pollution from cars. Statistics reveal that polluting particulate matter (PM), a variety of small and toxic substances that can enter the bloodstream and severely impact […]
February 13, 2024
In France, the social leasing plan, a state measure to give less fortunate people access to an EV for 100 euros a month, has already run out of budget. The scheme is discontinued after more than 50,000 validated orders in six weeks, or almost double what was initially planned. The Elysée Palace announced that the […]
February 08, 2024
The European Investment Bank will grant Belgian Umicore an eight-year loan of 350 million euros for research. The money is intended for the technological development, innovation, and recycling of batteries for e-cars. In 2022, Umicore invested 316 million euros, or 7,6% of its revenues, in research and development. Umicore’s battery materials technologies, innovation roadmap, and […]
February 07, 2024
According to the plans presented on Tuesday, the European Commission wants to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union by 90% by 2040 compared to 1990 levels. “There’s no other way,” says Wopke Hoekstra, European Commissioner for Climate Action. “The longer the EU waits to take difficult measures, the harder and more expensive it […]
February 05, 2024
In a decisive move to combat escalating fuel import costs and worsening air pollution in its cities, Ethiopia has announced a groundbreaking shift in its automotive policies. Transport Minister Alemu Sime calls for an immediate ban on buying fossil-fueled vehicles. What’s 2035 for Europe is today for Ethiopia. Minister Sime revealed that the nation spent […]
January 30, 2024
Belgium will not have a sharp increase in taxes on fossil company cars. After much wrangling, the federal government has agreed on the benefit in kind for diesel and gasoline company cars. The government reached a deal by linking other dossiers to that of company cars. Thus, the annual ceiling of the bicycle allowance will […]
January 12, 2024
According to a new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), renewable energy production capacity has increased by 50% in the past year. The IEA says the increase is faster than ever in the last thirty years. Due to the rapid growth, there is a real chance that global capacity will triple by 2030. Last […]
January 09, 2024
The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), operated by the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts on behalf of the EU Commission, monitored several key climate indicators throughout the year 2023 and reported record conditions. Such as the warmest month on record and daily global temperature averages that briefly exceeded pre-industrial levels by more than 2°C. […]
January 09, 2024
CO2 emissions from Germany, Europe’s leading industrial nation and the largest energy consumer in Europe, have reached their lowest level in around 70 years, thanks to a stronger-than-expected decline in the use of coal. Greenhouse gas emissions reached 673 million tons of CO2 last year, “the lowest level since the 1950s” and significantly down from […]
January 08, 2024
Volvo Cars set a new global sales record as the company reported full-year sales of 708 716 cars during 2023, an increase of 15% compared to the entire year of 2022. Volvo Cars will also get a €420 million loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to develop a new electric car platform. Volvo Cars […]
January 04, 2024
From Saturday, Flemish public transport company De Lijn’s new basic accessibility network will be operational. But even before the new timetable – “the biggest transition ever” at De Lijn – goes into effect, criticism is louder and louder. More stops would be scrapped than planned, and the new Hoppin bus network would create greater transport […]
January 03, 2024
At least 22% of new cars sold by manufacturers in the UK this year must be zero-emission. New rules requiring car manufacturers to sell a minimum proportion of zero-emission vehicles have come into force, the Department for Transport (DfT) in the UK announced. The mandate became law on Wednesday. Zero emission means, in practice, that […]
January 03, 2024
Under Joe Biden, the US has become the world’s largest oil producer and is producing more oil than any country ever has. According to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), US oil production has even increased by 21% over the past five years, and it settled in December a new annual production record with […]
December 21, 2023
Since Thursday, public transport in the southern French city of Montpellier has been free of charge. In France, there are already around 40 cities where buses and trams are free for residents. Still, with more than 500 000 inhabitants, Montpellier is the largest European metropolis offering such a free service. “This is a measure that […]
December 20, 2023
Lufthansa has ordered 80 new short- and medium-haul aircraft with Boeing and Airbus. These include 40 Airbus A220-300 aircraft and 40 Boeing 737-8 Max. The German airline group is also taking an option on 120 additional aircraft. The group itself calls it the most extensive fleet modernization in its history. The aircraft will be delivered […]
December 19, 2023
North Sea Port, the merger company behind the ports of Ghent, Terneuzen, and Vlissingen, is taking a minority stake (20%) in Pipelink, a subsidiary of Port of Antwerp-Bruges. This new partnership will develop and build local, national, and international pipeline projects – essential steps forward in the modal shift and energy transition. In 2026, the […]
December 18, 2023
The Nissan Ariya e-4orce has become the first-ever land vehicle to travel from the magnetic North Pole to the South Pole, taking 9+ months and around 30 000 km to complete the journey. Scottish couple Chris and Julia Ramsey from Plug in Adventures took on the challenge of improving infrastructure in remote regions and showcasing […]
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 […]
