November 25, 2024
The 29th international UN climate summit in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, ended with a disappointing outcome on Sunday night. The summit disappointed developing countries, which are also the most vulnerable to climate change. There is a prevailing feeling that the wealthiest industrialized countries have left them in the dust. Oxfam Novib, in its response, said […]
November 22, 2024
German parcel company DHL Express and energy company Shell have signed a one-year agreement for the use of 25,000 tons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at Brussels Airport. This will allow it to replace a third of the traditional kerosene in the planes departing from Brussels Airport with the more environmentally friendly fuel derived from, […]
November 22, 2024
Flanders has the potential to realize 1,096 ‘smart charging hubs’ or ‘charging plazas’ by 2030–around 6,600 individual charging points. These central locations offer multiple charging stations via one grid connection. This was evident from a study launched on Thursday by grid operator Fluvius, environmental organization Bond Beter Leefmilieu (BBL), and consultancy firm The New Drive. […]
November 21, 2024
Bicycle shops and manufacturers cannot get rid of the enormous stock they have built up after Corona. Research by mobility federation Traxio shows that six in ten bicycle shops currently offer discounts of 20 percent and more. For the first time in five years, the Belgian bicycle retail market sees a decline in turnover this […]
November 20, 2024
The Brussels ombudsman office wants MIVB/STIB to curb noise pollution caused by defective wheels on M7 subway trains. The appeal comes after an investigation following a complaint from a resident of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert/Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe about noise pollution from the metro. According to Ombuds Brussels, the MIVB/STIB, the future Brussels government, and the public institution Brussels Environment must […]
November 19, 2024
The Danish government will introduce an emissions tax on livestock farming by 2030, making Denmark the first country in the world to do so. Although New Zealand announced a similar law in 2022, it was withdrawn after widespread farmer protests. The aim is to make agriculture more sustainable. Denmark is a big dairy and pork […]
November 19, 2024
The Dutch province of Zeeland wants to replace the Westerschelde Ferries, which currently sail across the Western Scheldt, with zero-emission ferries. Hybrid ships (diesel/electric) are also being considered. The States of Zeeland unanimously agreed to that proposal on Friday. The two ships currently transporting cyclists and pedestrians between Vlissingen and Breskens are approaching the end […]
November 15, 2024
Cars in Brussels’ streets are becoming heavier and larger, making traffic more unsafe and contradicting the city’s quality-of-life goals. This is shown by a new study conducted by Brussels Environment and Brussels Mobility, newspapers De Standaard and L’Echo write. SUVs, Sports Utility Vehicles, accounted for more than half of all new registrations in 2023. The […]
November 14, 2024
Global CO2 emissions continue to rise, and there is still “no sign” that the world has reached a peak in fossil fuel emissions. A new report from Global Carbon Budget, which also includes the Flanders Marine Institute (Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee, VLIZ), says that global emissions will amount to 41.6 billion tons of CO2 […]
November 14, 2024
Engie and lime producer Carmeuse are terminating the Columbus project, an industrial carbon capture and use (CCU) plant at Amercoeur near Charleroi, for “economic and regulatory reasons.” The project had a total investment cost of more than 300 million euros. 187,000 tons of CO2 With the Columbus project, French energy company Engie and Carmeuse, in […]
November 13, 2024
The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) has approved three energy cables linking Britain to Germany’s, Ireland’s, and Northern Ireland’s power grids and lines connecting Britain’s grid with Dutch and Belgian offshore wind farms. The projects are due to be completed by 2032. The power lines, called ‘interconnectors,’ enable Britain to be more flexible […]
November 13, 2024
The Court of Appeal in The Hague has rejected the 2021 ruling in the case brought by the Netherlands arm of Friends of the Earth (Milieudefensie) and other campaigners against Shell. According to the court, Shell cannot be forced to specify specific percentages by which it must reduce CO2 emissions. Therefore, the court’s ruling at […]
November 11, 2024
The private jet sector is emitting more and more greenhouse gases. Between 2019 and 2023, greenhouse gas emissions from private aviation nearly doubled. That’s according to a study published in Communications Earth & Environment. Last year alone, private aviation accounted for 15,6 million tons of CO2 emissions. In 2019, it was 10,7 million tons, or […]
November 07, 2024
Mobility platform Bolt has launched a ‘premium’ ride-hailing fleet in the Brussels Capital Region, totaling some 30 bright green Tesla cars. With this initiative, part of a large-scale European initiative, Bolt hopes to support fleet owners in shifting to EVs. “We are excited to introduce more electric vehicles on our platform in Brussels,” says Paddy […]
November 07, 2024
The new Flemish Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder warned that the number of EV premium requests has already surpassed 11,700, doubling the budget initially foreseen by predecessor Lydia Peeters (Open Vld). De Ridder (N-VA) wanted to take a decretional decision to abolish the premium as soon as possible. This decision was voted positively on Wednesday […]
November 06, 2024
On Sunday, the new French Economy Minister Antoine Armand pleaded to postpone the fines for car manufacturers exceeding the EU CO2 targets. A spokesman for the European Commission responded on Monday that such initiatives are premature. “Talking already about a change in the Commission’s position on these matters is really premature,” he said in Brussels. […]
November 05, 2024
Energy provider Engie will start the construction of a new battery park in Kallo, in the port of Antwerp, at the beginning of next year. The large-scale project, representing a €100 million investment, should be completed by the summer of 2027. The park in Kallo will be located on the site of the energy company’s […]
November 04, 2024
Greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union dropped by eight percent last year – the biggest drop in decades, marking significant progress toward climate neutrality. According to the latest European Environment Agency (EEA) ‘Trends and Projections’ report, the huge drop was led by a significant decline in coal use and the growth of renewable energy […]
November 04, 2024
Starting today, car traffic in the city center of Paris will be restricted even further with the introduction of a car-free zone, a so-called “zone à traffic limité” (ZTL). The measure is intended to reduce noise and harmful emissions, improve road safety, and create more space for cyclists and pedestrians. In addition, the new zone […]
November 01, 2024
A team of 122 researchers from United Nations agencies and academic institutions worldwide has published an article in The Lancet warning that climate-related health risks are worsening. More people face dangerous heat, food insecurity, and exposure to pathogens and other threats. The report was published on Wednesday in advance of the climate negotiations scheduled for […]
October 30, 2024
The new Walloon Minister of Mobility, François Desquesnes (Les Engagés), wants to rebalance the prices of the public transport company TEC between different age groups. Currently, 18- to 24-year-olds pay only 12 euros a year for a season ticket, or one euro a month, while 12-17-year-olds pay much more. It is expected that free or […]
October 29, 2024
According to a report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), greenhouse gas levels surged to a new record in 2023, committing the planet to rising temperatures for many years to come. Carbon dioxide (CO2) accumulates in the atmosphere faster than ever experienced during human existence, increasing by more than 10% in just two decades. “This […]
October 29, 2024
The cost of the Oosterweel works, the mobility and livability project around Antwerp that will, among other things, close the car traffic connection along the north side of the ring road, has risen to 10.1 billion euros. The new bill is more than 3 billion euros higher than estimated two years ago, of which 1.8 […]
October 28, 2024
According to a new Oxfam report titled ‘Carbon Inequality Kills’, super-rich Europeans, with their investments and intensive use of superyachts and private planes, emit as much greenhouse gases in one week as the world’s poorest one percent do in their entire lives. In other words, fifty of the wealthiest billionaires in the world emit more […]
October 24, 2024
Is lithium the new gold mine for Arkansas after oil? Researchers have discovered that an underground brine reservoir in the southern US state may contain as much as 5 to 19 million tons of lithium. Lithium is a crucial raw material for electric vehicle batteries. The amount of lithium in the Arkansas beds would be […]
October 24, 2024
The cost of the Princess Elisabeth energy island, an artificial island off the Belgian coast that will be used by the power grid operator Elia, will probably amount to 7 billion euros, a multiple of the 2,2 billion that was initially estimated. Princess Elisabeth Island will become an energy hub for cables to neighboring countries […]
October 23, 2024
The Lower House in the Netherlands wants to postpone introducing emission-free zones for company cars and trucks until 2029. However, on January 1, 14 municipalities, including Amsterdam and Rotterdam, wanted to introduce these zones despite resistance from the political Hague and most business owners. Still, there is little chance that the introduction can be stopped. […]
October 23, 2024
Germany will build a nationwide 9,040 km hydrogen network connecting various industrial areas. In the long term, a future Dutch hydrogen network will also be linked to it. German regulators have approved the construction of the network, Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck announced on Tuesday. Hydrogen should be used in sectors where renewable energy, such as […]
October 23, 2024
European environmental lobby group Transport & Environment has published a study with the Clean Cities Campaign that the supply of electric vans will be enough by 2030 to introduce zero-emission zones for freight in every European capital. But a few asterisks remain. The EU’s more stringent ambient air quality directive (AAQD), which comes into effect […]
October 23, 2024
Ten years ago, the Dutch Swapfiets was founded, the world’s pioneer of ‘bike as a service’. Three student friends from Delft wanted to offer people a reliable and rock-solid bicycle without any fuss. This is how the first bicycle subscription was born. The formula is quite simple: Swapfiets members always have a working bicycle for […]
October 22, 2024
According to a new study by the green group Transport & Environment (T&E), subsidies for gasoline and diesel company cars cost taxpayers €42 billion every year in the five biggest EU countries alone. The study by ERM, commissioned by T&E, calculates the effects of the four tax benefits traditionally given to company cars: benefit-in-kind, depreciation […]
October 21, 2024
Stay Grounded, a network of organizations wanting to phase out aviation, calls for a European tax on frequent flyers. This would apply from the third flight per year. According to Stay Grounded, such a tax could reduce aviation’s CO2 emissions by a fifth and generate billions to invest in the climate transition. Globally, 1% of […]
October 20, 2024
Brussels Airport is among the 67 most efficient airports in the world in terms of CO2 emissions. It has achieved Lever 4+, the penultimate level of Airport Council International’s Airport Carbon Accreditation program (ACA). A total of 592 airports worldwide participate in the ACA program that compares and certifies airports in terms of CO2 emissions. […]
October 17, 2024
The International Energy Agency (IEA) expects a global fuel and gas surplus in the next five years. Although the energy crisis has led to scarcity and sky-high prices in recent years, the IEA expects just the opposite in the second half of the decade. That could be good news for Europe, where the energy crisis […]
October 17, 2024
According to figures from Transport for London (TfL), more than 1,400 vehicles have already been seized by bailiffs in London for non-payment of Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) fines. Since August last year, virtually all of London has been an environmental zone, the world’s largest pollution charging zone. That means users of polluting cars must pay […]
October 16, 2024
The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has published a study on the CO2 reduction requirements of the ten largest car manufacturers to comply with the EU’s fleet limits for 2025. On average, manufacturers must increase their BEV share by a maximum of twelve percentage points, from 16% in 2023 to around 28% by 2025. […]
October 15, 2024
Amnesty International reports in a new report that car manufacturers BYD, Mitsubishi, and Hyundai score the worst on human rights in the production of their electric cars. According to the Human Rights Organization, mining potentially exposes communities to exploitation, health risks, and environmental damage caused by the rapid expansion of mines to extract metals such […]
October 15, 2024
A new study by the Belgian energy regulator CREG warns of an abundance of solar power and that more flexibility will be needed to accommodate the growing surpluses. The high-voltage grid operator Elia had already sounded the alarm before the summer. Since 2021, Belgium’s solar panel capacity has more than doubled to 10.3 gigawatts. In […]
October 14, 2024
A new study by an international team of scientists published in Nature Geoscience provides new insights into the natural mechanisms behind century-scale increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂), known as CO₂ jumps. The study led by Etienne Legrain, a paleoclimatologist at the Department of Water and Climate at the VUB (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), reveals the […]
October 11, 2024
The Flemish public transport company De Lijn will introduce six new emission-free minibusses to the Mechelen city network after the autumn vacations. These busses are more compact and run entirely electrically. The new buses, costing 350,000 euros each, have been ordered from Chinese manufacturer Yes-EU. After the seven Yes-EU midi e-buses already in service in […]
October 10, 2024
The International Energy Agency (IEA) expects a massive increase in renewable energy production by 2030. According to a new report published on Wednesday, tripling the capacity – as agreed at the latest climate conference in Dubai – is within reach. The IEA expects renewable energy sources like wind and solar to meet almost half the […]
October 10, 2024
A new report by an international team of scientists – 15,000 scientists from 150 countries – states that climatic conditions have worsened. The report shows twenty-five of thirty-five planetary vital signs are at record extremes. For example, greenhouse gas emissions are still rising, the world is using more oil and coal, and oceans are becoming […]
October 09, 2024
Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary plans to abolish the paper boarding pass and allow online check-in only. The measure, which would apply from May next year, would save costs. Ryanair desks would disappear at airports, and every passenger would have to check in via smartphone. An additional surcharge already applies now, but eventually, O’Leary wants to […]
October 07, 2024
In partnership with the waste management group Suez, Renault has announced ambitious plans to make its subsidiary ‘The Future is Neutral’, dedicated to the circular economy, a leading player in Europe. Suez becomes a shareholder in Renault’s branch, which will receive an injection of €140 million to boost its operations and objectives in circularity. During […]
October 07, 2024
The Brussels parliament has postponed for two years the tightening of the Low-Emission Zone (LEZ) on January 1st, 2025. The Liberals, PS, Les Engagés, Team Fouad Ahidar, and Vlaams Belang voted in favor; the Greens and DéFi against, while Vooruit, N-VA, and CD&V abstained. Urban movement BRAL calculated that postponing the ban on the most […]
October 04, 2024
“Decarbonising mobility is a key objective in the fight against climate change,” French automaker Renault says, and how it plans to make tomorrow’s nearly zero-carbon family car it demonstrates at the Paris Motor Show from 14 to 20 October with the Renault Emblème. The Emblème concept is a sleek, fully electric shooting brake, 160 kW […]
October 03, 2024
The additional round of the Zero-Emission Trucks (AanZET) subsidy program for 2024 in the Netherlands was almost entirely allocated in just one day. Of the €22.2 million budget, €21.4 million was applied for, as companies feel the pressure with several Dutch cities introducing zero-emission zones in 2025. According to the Ministry, a new round of […]
October 02, 2024
By the end of this year, PricewaterhouseCoopers Belgium and MINI Belux will deliver 200 brand-new full electric MINIs to their starting employees. With the delivery, the company will have a total of 300 electrified MINIs in its fleet. By replacing 200 BMW 1 series diesel cars with new electric MINI Cooper SE models, the company […]
October 02, 2024
In the city center of Namur, you can now take an e-shuttle for free. The shuttles replace the TEC buses, which have been unable to travel in the pedestrian zone since the beginning of May. The four shuttles are primarily intended for people who have difficulty getting around but are also available to everyone free […]
October 01, 2024
The planned restart of the Doel 4 nuclear reactor has been postponed until December because the outer shell has been damaged. During a scheduled maintenance service, inspectors discovered damage to the concrete reinforcement of the outermost of two casings above the reactor. Last year, the Alexander Decroo government and operator Electrabel decided to keep the […]
October 01, 2024
A group of fifty companies and organizations from the automotive, clean tech, transport, and energy ecosystem that calls itself ‘Industry for 2035’ urges the European Union not to give in to the rising pressure from some car manufacturers and stay firm on car CO2 standards for 2026 and beyond, including the ICE ban from 2035. […]
October 01, 2024
Sustainable energy producer Eneco has built Belgium’s largest battery park in Ville-sur-Haine in the province of Hainaut (Wallonia). Last Friday, the press was invited to visit the site. The site housed a coal-fired power station until the 1980s. Now, it has 53 batteries that can store 200 MW of electricity. The batteries will store excess […]
September 30, 2024
The United Kingdom has marked a historic moment in its energy transition by shutting down the Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station in Nottinghamshire (East Midlands of England). It was the UK’s last remaining coal power plant. Officials have described its closure as a “tremendously important milestone in the global route to decarbonization.” After decommissioning, the site will […]
September 30, 2024
Brussels Airport and air traffic controller Skeyes are starting demonstration flights with landings at a steeper angle on Tuesday. This test aims to analyze whether there is a positive impact on noise pollution, CO2 emissions, and fuel consumption. The tests are part of the HERON (Highly Efficient Green Operations) project, a broad international consortium of […]
September 30, 2024
The new Flemish government has decided that the Flemish public transport company De Lijn will receive additional funds to green its fleet and will also be allowed to decide in the future to raise fares. However, it is not clear exactly how much extra money is going to De Lijn. In addition to substantial investments […]
September 27, 2024
British chemical giant Ineos inaugurated the largest solar park in Wallonia on Thursday in Jemeppe-sur-Sambre, in the province of Namur. Over 100 guests, including Sophie Wilmès, Vice-President of the European Parliament, and Cécile Neven, Walloon Minister for Energy and the Air-Climate Plan, attended the inauguration. The Ineos Park will cover a 30-hectare zone—the equivalent of […]
September 27, 2024
Belgium’s automotive market outperforms most European markets in reducing CO₂ emissions from new cars. According to Febiac and the European Environment Agency data, Newspaper De Tijd reports that the average emissions from new cars in Belgium decreased by over 40% between 2019 and 2023. This is significantly better than the EU average reduction of 27%, […]
September 26, 2024
The tightening of the low-emission zone (LEZ) in Brussels will most likely be postponed from 2025 to 2027. The proposal of an ordinance to this effect by MR, PS, Les Engagés, and Open Vld was approved on Wednesday in the Environment Committee of the Brussels Parliament. The Brussels Parliament’s plenary session on October 4th must […]
September 26, 2024
Absenteeism is peaking at the Tesla factory in Grünheide, near Berlin. Management has, therefore, decided to visit employees on sick leave at home to check whether their absence is legal. In August, the sick leave rate among the 12,000 employees in Grünheide had risen to 17 percent; at the beginning of September, it was still […]
September 25, 2024
Starting December 16th, a high-speed train will run daily between Paris and Berlin. French railroad company SNCF Voyageurs and German operator Deutsche Bahn will operate the line. The journey will take about eight hours in total. A stopover in Brussels or Belgium is not planned because the train will enter France or Germany via Strasbourg. […]
