April 24, 2025
How can Belgium become climate-neutral by 2050 without driving industry out? Research institute VITO/EnergyVille formulated an answer: “The most expensive option is to do nothing.” Vito/EnergyVille launched a study and joined forces with several major players in the Belgian energy market: grid operators Elia and Fluxys, major consumers such as BASF and ArcelorMittal, and producer Luminus. With […]
April 22, 2025
Brussels Airport will invest half a billion euros in infrastructure to accommodate the passenger growth expected in the coming years. The project involves the construction of a new intermodal hub, an expansion of the departure and arrival hall, a new hotel, a new drop-off zone, and a green boulevard with a park. The investment is […]
April 18, 2025
The US government has stopped the construction of the Empire 1 wind farm on New York’s coast, even though the $5 billion project has the necessary permits. The Trump administration strongly opposes offshore wind farms. According to Donald Trump, “They are dangerous to birds and whales.” Norwegian Equinor’s project The Empire 1 wind farm is […]
April 15, 2025
Globally, 2024 was the warmest year on record and the first with an average temperature exceeding 1.5°C above the pre‑industrial level. The last ten years have been the warmest ten years on record. This is stated in the Copernicus European State of the Climate Summary 2024, compiled by the European climate service Copernicus and the […]
April 15, 2025
Energy company Engie has started constructing a solar park on its site in Rodenhuize, the peninsula in the port of Ghent that already houses three wind turbines and an ultra-fast charging station for EVs. Starting this summer, the installation will produce about 5.7 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity annually, enough for the average consumption of […]
April 15, 2025
The Belgian federal government gave hybrid cars more breathing space in its Easter agreement. The authorities now think that a battery electric car is not yet the right solution for everyone and are providing more room to hybrids. Organisations that promote EVs or environmental associations see the new rules as a serious step back. The […]
April 14, 2025
The member states of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the maritime branch of the United Nations, reached an agreement on Friday on greening shipping. The deal involves a standard to limit the use of fossil fuels and a price mechanism for companies that do not meet the imposed standards. Ships will have to emit 30 […]
April 13, 2025
A European research project has unveiled a new battery design that could help electric vehicles become more sustainable, easier to recycle, and cheaper to repair. The battery, developed under the EU-funded Marbel project and backed by Stellantis, has been created with circular economy principles in mind. As such, it also aims at finding a second […]
April 10, 2025
The EU has new legislation that is ready to reduce plastic pollution in the environment. For example, companies that produce or transport small plastic pellets will face stricter regulations. The rules will apply to all companies that handle more than five tons of plastic pellets annually within the EU. They will also cover companies using […]
April 09, 2025
Sortbat, a subsidiary of Bebat, a Belgian non-profit association that processes used batteries, is acquiring the Norwegian Høyenergi. Together, they want to strengthen Belgium and Norway’s position in managing large batteries, including those of electric vehicles, maritime applications, and energy storage systems. This acquisition anticipates the increasing amount of end-of-life batteries in Europe. The global […]
April 08, 2025
According to the International Energy Agency’s latest report, transport in Germany is a significant obstacle to the country’s green energy transition, still accounting for 95% of all transport emissions. IEA experts identified transport as “the largest emitting sector in Germany” and thus a key area for additional focus. The IEA report highlights how Germany has […]
April 07, 2025
This year, Limburg celebrates the 30th anniversary of the cycle route network—one of the province’s main attractions. Recent research by Visit Limburg confirms that cycling in Limburg is popular not only with the Limburgers themselves but also with cyclists from far beyond the provincial borders. Visit Limburg’s study shows that 90% of cyclists are delighted […]
April 03, 2025
Today, Hyundai Motor Company introduced the all-new Nexo fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) at its global launch event at the Seoul Mobility Show in Korea. Hyundai targets more than 700 km of range from a five-minute ‘charge’ and top-tier safety ratings thanks to the comprehensive safety features. The second-generation Nexo reflects 27 years of fuel […]
April 02, 2025
Between 2019 and 2023, business flights fell by 34%. That’s according to a new report by the NGO Transport & Environment. However, 44% of the 326 companies in the Travel Smart ranking still have no target applying to business travel, putting overall progress at risk. Especially the disproportionate flying of private jets by large companies […]
March 31, 2025
A team of researchers with the Belgian professor Sebastiaan van de Velde as the lead author, reported that certain commercial activities damage the sea floors and disrupt the ocean’s natural carbon capture capacity. They also emphasized the need better to assess this “hidden emission” of greenhouse gases. The oceans play a crucial role in regulating […]
March 25, 2025
Paris residents voted in a referendum on Sunday to make hundreds of streets car-free. With this measure, the left-wing city council wants to reduce car use further, improve air quality, and increase the quality of life in the French capital. However, turnout was low: barely 4% of the 1.4 million residents bothered to vote. Two-thirds […]
March 25, 2025
On May 27th, Hasselt University will award an honorary doctorate to Hugo Bollen, the inventor of the walking and cycling node network. Hugo Bollen, a former engineer at the Kempen Coal Mines (Kempische Steenkoolmijnen), came up with the now widespread cycling and walking junction network years ago. The doctorate is a recognition of his essential […]
March 24, 2025
According to the Progress Report on the Programmatic Approach to Nitrogen, nitrogen oxide emissions in Flanders have fallen by 35 percent between 2015 and 2022, and ammonia emissions have fallen by 9 percent in those seven years. Environment Minister Jo Brouns presented the report on Friday, March 21st. Nitrogen oxides (80%) mainly come from the […]
March 24, 2025
The Brussels Parliament has approved the proposal for an ordinance clarifying specific provisions postponing the tightening of the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) until January 1, 2027. The vote was 67 to 14, with the Greens and DéFI voting against and Benjamin Dalle (CD&V) abstaining. Whether this definitively eliminates the problems remains to be seen. Touring, […]
March 21, 2025
The European Union and Belgium have made a clear commitment to climate neutrality to achieve the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement. However, achieving this objective will require significant investments, leading to a profound transformation of our society. According to a new report from the Federal Climate Change Service in collaboration with the Study Committee […]
March 21, 2025
North Sea Port, the cross-border port area between Vlissingen (the Netherlands) and Ghent (Belgium), has installed a new jetty with shore power. Ships arriving in Ghent must now dock here. With this investment, North Sea Port strengthens its position as a European sustainable port. The sustainable jetty, located at the head of the Grootdok, is […]
March 20, 2025
Four scientists from KU Leuven, the University of Ghent, and Transport and Mobility Leuven have concluded that it makes no sense to choose the train instead of the plane for trips within the European Union to emit less CO2. Due to the European emission ceilings, someone else will emit the saved CO2 anyway. The Emission […]
March 17, 2025
A recent report indicates that London’s air quality has significantly improved since the introduction of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone, an area where polluting vehicles are banned or must pay a congestion charge to enter. Annual roadside NO2 concentrations across the capital have been nearly halved (49%) between 2016 and 2023, while preliminary figures indicate London […]
March 14, 2025
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a dramatic rollback of vehicle emissions regulations. The changes, led by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin under the Trump administration, will relax emissions targets for cars, trucks, and power plants. Critics say it marks a fundamental shift away from the agency’s historic mission of environmental protection. Trump’s oil […]
March 13, 2025
According to communications from Wanfeng to investors, Chinese concern Wanfeng wants to acquire Volocopter, the German maker of flying cabs that take off vertically. Volocopter initiated bankruptcy proceedings late last year and hoped for a relaunch with new investors. Wanfeng wants to acquire the start-up for 10 million euros. Pioneer Volocopter makes vertically rising electric […]
March 10, 2025
The Belgian Federal Public Service for Economy has won a legal battle against the German transport company Flixbus. As part of a European investigation, the economic inspectorate discovered that Flixbus was guilty of various forms of greenwashing on its Belgian website. This is the first time in Belgium that the FPS Economy has obtained a company’s […]
March 07, 2025
The Norwegian Transport Ministry is planning to ask the Norwegian Public Roads Administration to prepare legislation to allow municipalities to establish zero-emission zones (ZEZ). It will give the latter the possibility to reduce emissions and push for cleaner transport. The Administration will specifically look at the technical, legal, and practical aspects. It also stresses that […]
March 06, 2025
European fast-charging specialist Electra has opened its first operational station in Capellen, Luxembourg, a well-known ‘tank’ stop for Belgian and Dutch drivers heading south on holiday. The company is active in nine European countries—Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, and Austria—and has 426 stations and 2,520 charging points. The new charging station […]
March 05, 2025
Last year, fewer bicycles were sold in the Netherlands than in the past ten years. The bicycle market grew steadily between 2016 and 2020, but sales have declined since the peak in the latter year. This is evident from figures from trade organizations Bovag and RAI Association. Sales peaked in 2020 when more than 1.1 million […]
March 05, 2025
Flemish public transport company De Lijn paid more than 70,000 euros in fines last year for violations of low-emission zones (LEZ), a multiple of the 2,350 euros from 2023. A total of 384 fines were involved. Especially Antwerp and Ghent, together with Brussels, the only three active LEZ in Belgium, were mainly responsible. In Antwerp, […]
March 04, 2025
According to the NGO Transport and Environment, almost one in two new buses (49%) sold in Europe in 2024 had zero emissions—electric or hydrogen—exceeding the objectives set by the European Union on CO2 standards for buses and making city buses one of the early success stories of the European Green Deal. Fuel cell buses comprised […]
March 04, 2025
According to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Brussels could weaken the CO2 target for car manufacturers in 2025. It is also holding out the prospect of a new battery subsidy. She explained that she wanted manufacturers to achieve the CO2 target over the next three years instead of this year, as initially planned, […]
March 03, 2025
More than 500 doctors have called on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to uphold the planned 2035 phase-out of combustion engines, warning of serious health risks if the policy is weakened. The doctors criticized efforts to soften carbon dioxide (CO2) emission limits, arguing that delaying the transition would endanger public health. Road traffic […]
February 28, 2025
For years, the Brussels Capital Region has been demanding compliance with Brussels noise standards to limit noise pollution at Brussels Airport. The French-speaking court of first instance in Brussels has once again condemned the Belgian state for the excessive nuisance caused by night flights over the capital. At the same time, it increased the penalty […]
February 27, 2025
The European Commission proposed a significant action plan on Wednesday to accelerate the decarbonization of European industry. The Commission believes that EU countries must act now. The climate crisis, weak economic growth, declining business competitiveness, and significant geopolitical tensions (with Moscow, Washington, and Beijing) require a comprehensive transition plan. Various supporting measures should help with […]
February 26, 2025
The European Commission proposes banning polluting and harmful heating systems, such as wood-burning stoves, by 2027. Still, the proposal is encountering resistance in countries like Germany and the Czech Republic. A draft law was due to be presented in Brussels on February 12th. The law would impose more stringent limits on harmful particulate emissions from […]
February 25, 2025
According to the latest evaluation report from the Flemish Energy and Climate Agency (Vlaams Energie- en KlimaatAgentschap, VEKA), the climate measures of the Flemish coalition agreement are insufficient to achieve the Flemish emission reduction target by 2030. With the new measures, Flanders is heading for a 33.2 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to […]
February 21, 2025
Fastned, the European fast-charging company, has completed its most successful bond issue. With over €36.5 million raised in the company’s first tranche of 2025, Fastned raised the most significant amount ever in a single bond issue. More than €20 million of this latest issue resulted from new investments, and over €16 million came from existing […]
February 20, 2025
Flanders has distributed 18,543 premiums for electric cars, totaling 72.8 million euros. Most premiums were paid to private individuals—14,637 for new vehicles (under €40,000) and 3,141 for second-hand ones. In addition, 523 premiums went to non-profit organizations and foundations and 242 to car-sharing providers. The previous Flemish Mobility Minister, Lydia Peeters (Open Vld), introduced the […]
February 17, 2025
After fifty years of power production, the Doel 1 nuclear reactor was shut down on Friday evening. After Doel 3 in 2022 and Tihange 2 in 2023, the third Belgian nuclear reactor has also been switched off. Doel 2 will follow on November 30th. Operator Engie reported the final shutdown. The reactor had been running longer […]
February 14, 2025
The sustainability of the European electricity market is going well. Last year, solar panels supplied more power than coal-fired power stations in the European Union for the first time, and gas declined for the fifth year in a row. Solar power grew strongly, by 21.7 percent to 304 TWh. On the other hand, the share of […]
February 13, 2025
A University of Cambridge scientists team, led by professor Erwin Reisner, has created a solar-powered flow reactor that can capture C02 from the air at night and convert it into fuels like diesel, methanol, or ammonia during the day with the help of the sun. If scaled up, it would theoretically allow people to generate […]
February 12, 2025
Last year, travelers offset their air travel emissions by purchasing approximately 28,000 tons of CO2 equivalents (CO2e) through the Brussels-based climate consultancy agency Greentripper. The organization uses ‘CO2 equivalent’ because this takes into account all greenhouse gases, not just CO2. According to Greentripper’s data, last year’s result is a status quo compared to 2023. The precise […]
February 07, 2025
It has been proven again: Limburg is the cycling paradise par excellence. In 2024, more than four million cyclists – 4,059,224 to be precise – were counted on the bicycle highways—a slight increase compared to the year before despite an extremely wet summer. An average of almost 11,300 cyclists passed the counters every day. Limburg […]
February 04, 2025
From March 3rd, a lane on the Paris ‘périphérique’ will be reserved for carpool cars, security services, and public transport. Only cars with at least two occupants, public transport vehicles (buses and taxis), emergency services, and persons with reduced mobility are allowed to drive in the left lane of the Paris Ring Road. The rule […]
February 04, 2025
Norway has set another benchmark in electric vehicle adoption, with 8,954 of the 9,343 new passenger cars registered in January being fully electric. This translates to a market share of 95.8%, a new record. Norway remains on track to meeting its goal of EV-only sales by the end of the year, though officials still express […]
February 03, 2025
Looser Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in Flanders allows the Antwerp Classic Car Event (ACCE) to return to its roots at the Cockerill Quay on the borders of the Scheldt River in the Antwerp city center on 3 and 4 May of this year. Some 15,000 car enthusiasts are expected to come and see some 1,000 […]
February 03, 2025
Belgian dredging and maritime construction companies Deme and Jan De Nul have won contracts for two new offshore wind farms – Nordlicht 1 and 2 – in the German North Sea. When operational, they will provide power to approximately 1.7 million German households. The two wind farms will be located in a zone 85 kilometers […]
February 03, 2025
Antwerp-based transport company ADLC, which offers transportation by drones to companies, has raised 2 million euros in fresh capital. With that additional money, the company plans to further expand its services in the maritime and offshore industry. From now on, DronePort in Sint-Truiden, at the former air force base in Brustum, Limburg, will also be […]
January 31, 2025
The city of Brussels wants to strengthen its nighttime transport offering by making the shared nighttime cab service Collecto more visible. The city announced this during a press conference on Thursday afternoon to present the partnership between the two. For this occasion, Collecto was given a new look. Collecto is a collective taxi service available […]
January 30, 2025
London Heathrow Airport, Europe’s largest airport, will get a third runway. The British government has given the go-ahead for this. “A third runway at Heathrow will lead to growth, boost investment, and make the United Kingdom more open and connected,” said British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves. According to her, the runway, which will […]
January 23, 2025
The die is cast. The Californian Monarch Tractor, a pioneer in self-driving electric tractors, wants to conquer the European market from Belgium and has founded Monarch Tractor Europe NV, based in Antwerp, Belgium. Monarch Tractor is famous for its ‘smart’ tractors. The brand produces the world’s first fully electric tractor, for which the driver is […]
January 22, 2025
Figures requested by Flemish member of parliament An Christaens (CD&V) show that the public transport company De Lijn has more than 300 buses with more than 1 million kilometers on the counter. Because of this outdated bus fleet, De Lijn is increasingly struggling with technical problems, and passengers are paying the toll. De Lijn has […]
January 22, 2025
With the stroke of a pen, new US President Donald Trump has withdrawn the US from the Paris climate agreement. In doing so, Trump is responding to the concern among many Americans and Western citizens that the international promise to keep global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius will mainly disrupt current prosperity. “The United […]
January 21, 2025
Brussels Airport is launching a pilot project to sell the power generated by its solar panels to 100 households in four neighboring municipalities. The airport operator promises a discount of about 124 euros off an average household’s annual electric energy bill. Collaboration with energy platform Bolt The pilot project is being run in collaboration with […]
January 20, 2025
According to a study by the Met Office, the UK’s national weather and climate service, the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) is now incompatible with IPCC pathways that remain below 1.5°C. Last year saw the fastest annual rise in atmospheric CO₂ concentration in the long-running record of measurements. Satellite measurements showed a huge rise […]
January 17, 2025
Hungarian low-budget airline company Wizz Air, which operates at Charleroi Airport (Belgium), has “successfully” tested sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on more than fifty flights. Wizz Air operated more than fifty flights using a blend of SAF and traditional jet fuel and also surveyed passengers to gauge awareness and attitudes toward low-carbon aviation, including SAF. The […]
January 17, 2025
The Brussels urban movement BRAL, together with other civil society organizations, points out a legal error in the ordinance on the postponement of the tightening of the Low-Emission Zone (LEZ) in the Brussels Capital Region. Due to a reference to the wrong article, many diesel and gasoline cars will be driving “illegally” in Brussels. According […]
January 16, 2025
A new report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA) reveals that the European Union will probably not successfully reduce traffic noise in European cities in time. The European target is a 30 percent noise reduction by 2030. According to calculations, this figure will fall by 19 percent in the best case and rise by […]
January 15, 2025
Febelauto will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2025. It is a Belgian organization committed to the sustainable recycling of cars and high-voltage batteries from electrified vehicles. Since its start in 1999, Febelauto has organized the recycling of some 2.6 million vehicles in Belgium, recuperating 2.5 million tons of (raw) materials. In 2023, 6,662 end-of-live HEV […]
