ECMWF: ‘The vanishing cold: Europe’s winter Is slipping away’

April 29, 2026

The European State of the Climate 2025, a weighty annual report by the EU, confirms once again that Europe is the fastest-warming continent in the world. 2025 was extremely warm almost everywhere, and about 95% of Europe had above-average temperatures. Even near the Arctic Circle, temperatures exceeded 30°C. The average temperature on Earth is now […]

Much-discussed Ventilus project gets environmental permit

April 28, 2026

Flemish Minister of the Environment, Jo Brouns (CD&V), has granted grid operator Elia an environmental permit for the long-awaited Ventilus project, he announced on Monday. The wind energy sector and environmental organizations are relieved; action groups and companies along the route are disappointed. “Minister Brouns is completely disregarding 3,000 objections,” opponents say. New high-voltage line Ventilus […]

France intends to abolish low-emission zones

April 17, 2026

In France, old, polluting cars are once again allowed to drive in the city center. After all, the French parliament has decided to abolish the environmental sticker and low-emission zones – measures intended to reduce pollution in cities. The ‘zones à faibles émissions’ (ZFE), as they are called in France, were introduced in 2021 with […]

Commission gives green light for Ventilus high-voltage line

April 17, 2026

The Regional Environmental Permit Commission (Gewestelijke OmgevingsVergunningsCommissie, GOVC) has issued favorable opinions – although conditional – for the permits for the Ventilus high-voltage line. It is the final step before the decision by Flemish Environment Minister Jo Brouns (CD&V). Ventilus is the high-voltage line that Elia, Belgium’s high-voltage grid operator, plans to lay through West Flanders […]

Climate change is widening the gap between day and night

April 09, 2026

The difference between day and night temperatures – scientists call it ‘the diurnal temperature range’ – in spring is growing, and that is not good news, scientists say. And the trend is confirmed by the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). In the past, nighttime temperatures increased faster than daytime temperatures, so […]

Brussels LEZ: new fines starting June 7

April 07, 2026

Is the Brussels saga surrounding the Low-Emission Zone (LEZ) finally coming to an end? The Brussels government has finally set a schedule for the new LEZ fines system. If the technical obstacles are resolved, the imposition of LEZ fines should begin on June 7. Euro 5 diesel vehicles and Euro 2 gasoline vehicles, which in […]

Belgium to mandate helmets for e-scooters over 20 km/h

March 31, 2026

Minister of Mobility Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés) wants to introduce a mandatory helmet law for users of e-scooters exceeding 20 kilometers per hour and has drafted a royal decree to that end. His goal is clear: to save lives. Emergency doctors have long been advocating for a helmet mandate, and now politicians are following suit. The rule […]

Still no LEZ fines in Brussels: what drivers need to know from April 1

March 30, 2026

It appears that, as of April 1, you are still safe for the time being from the automatic €350 fine for drivers entering the Brussels Low-Emission Zone (LEZ) in a Euro 5 diesel or Euro 2 gasoline vehicle. Even though your vehicle is officially banned, no fines will be issued for the vehicles in question […]

Sweden’s hidden carbon giants: old forests store far more than thought

March 20, 2026

A new study has discovered that old-growth forests in Sweden store far more carbon than the industrial tree plantations that are rapidly replacing them, with soil accounting for most of the difference. The untouched forests in Sweden store 72 percent more carbon than managed forests, locking away greenhouse gases in spruce, pine, and needle-covered soils. […]

Report: ‘Brussels air quality stagnates due to LEZ postponement’

March 13, 2026

Air quality in Brussels has not improved between 2023 and 2025. This is evident from measurements taken by the BRAL urban movement, with support from Brussels Environment, as part of the ExpAIR campaign. What’s more, annual nitrogen dioxide concentrations even rose slightly at the 24 measuring stations. According to BRAL’s ExpAIR report, this result is partly […]

One more warning: Earth is warming faster than ever

March 09, 2026

According to a new study by Grant Foster and Stefan Rahmstorf from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, the Earth is warming faster than ever before. The study also showed that the rate of warming in the last decade was higher than in any previous decade since the beginning of instrumental records in 1880. The paper was published […]

T&E: ‘Ferries in Europe emit more CO2 than 6.6 million cars’

March 06, 2026

Ferries in port cities like Barcelona, Dublin, and Naples are responsible for more toxic air pollution (sulphur oxide or SOx) than all the cars in those cities, a new study by Transport & Environment (T&E) shows. Dublin is currently the most polluted port city in Europe for ferry air pollution, followed by Las Palmas and […]

Antwerp to expand its car-free zone

March 03, 2026

In Antwerp, the city council has given the green light for expanding the car-free zone in the city center. With the ‘Via Sinjoor’, the new car-free route, the city wants to create a virtually car-free boulevard through the city center. The goal is to create a more attractive and safer city center. The city council […]

Flanders’ wood smoke paradox: rising emissions, falling reports

March 02, 2026

Emissions from wood combustion in Flanders have risen sharply – by more than 44% in 2022 (and even 140% compared with 2019). Yet, the Flemish government reports to Europe that the figures are falling by 16%. Due to inaccurate reporting and a flawed wood-burning stove policy, the health risks are underestimated. Sales of wood and pellet […]

Trump strips EPA regulating powers, continues to question climate science

February 13, 2026

The climate is no longer the US government’s problem. On Thursday, the Trump administration rolled back the mechanism allowing the government to regulate planet-heating pollution. Trump says he believes climate change is a hoax, and has withdrawn the United States from global efforts to combat it. President Trump officially disavowed scientific research that labels CO2 […]

Medical fitness to drive: the Belgian law many drivers ‘forget’

February 12, 2026

One in five Walloons is unaware of the minimum medical standards required to drive a vehicle. This is according to a survey by the Walloon Road Safety Agency (AWSR). The agency is using the results to launch a campaign on fitness to drive based on health, an essential but often overlooked aspect of road safety. […]

A temporary route that wasn’t: how RNP-07 came to roar over Brussels

February 10, 2026

The frequent use of a new flight path has meant that 450,000 Brussels residents in the municipalities of Koekelberg, Schaerbeek, and Molenbeek-Saint-Jean have been subjected to intensive overflights since the summer. The Mayors concerned had an initial, disappointing meeting on the issue with Minister of Mobility Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés). However, the latter has since […]

Dutch court: Netherlands failing to protect Bonaire from climate impacts

January 29, 2026

The Dutch government has done far too little to protect the inhabitants of Bonaire, an island in the Caribbean part of the Netherlands, from the consequences of climate change. The cabinet must therefore develop a concrete plan to protect Bonaire’s residents better. Furthermore, the government must establish “clear and binding” targets within eighteen months to reduce […]

On paper Belgian climate plan delivers, but on the road it fails

January 28, 2026

Belgium has raised its ambitions in its National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), but still needs to make further efforts in renewable energy and energy efficiency in the coming years. But for the time being, the country will not be presented with a multi-million dollar bill. If an EU member state fails to reduce its CO2 […]

UNEP: ‘World spends 30 times more on destroying nature than on protecting’

January 23, 2026

Thirty times more money goes to destroying nature than to conserving it. In other words, for every US dollar the world invests in protecting nature, it spends $30 on destroying it. This stark imbalance is the central finding of a new UN Environment Program (UNEP) ‘State of Finance for Nature 2026’ report released on Thursday. It […]

War on weight: how slimmer passengers could save airlines millions

January 22, 2026

A recent study by the American investment bank Jefferies estimates that the four largest American Airlines could save as much as 580 million dollars per year in fuel costs if passengers weighed less. The study approaches the weight issue from a surprising angle, namely the impact of rheumatoid arthritis on often controversial weight loss drugs […]

Amsterdam draws a line on sea cruise ships

January 22, 2026

The city of Amsterdam wants to ban sea cruises from 2035 onward. The Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA) must disappear. It is one of the most far-reaching decisions taken by a major European port city in the debate over cruise tourism, air pollution, and urban space. The departure of the terminal has “clear advantages for sustainability and the […]

Ecoscore makes room for ‘Life Cycle Impact’ in Belgium

January 19, 2026

The three regions in Belgium launch ‘Life Cycle Impact’, an all-in environmental score for cars, compared mutually based on their total lifecycle impacts. It’s an enlargement of the well-known Ecoscore and resumes in one figure the impact of production, fuel production, and use over 200,000 km. The score, developed by the research center Vito and […]

Velofollies 2026: 300 exhibitors, 600 brands, and lots of cycling experience

January 15, 2026

This weekend, from 16 to 18 January 2026, Kortrijk Xpo will host the 18th edition of Velofollies, the must-visit event for active cyclists and cycling enthusiasts. With over 300 exhibitors and nearly twice as many brands represented, the show will offer a complete range of bicycles, from recreational and utility models — e-bikes, urban bikes, […]

2030 climate target slipping out of reach, says Copernicus

January 14, 2026

If global warming continues at its current pace, the most important global climate goal could be missed by the end of this decade. The European climate service Copernicus warns of this in an annual report. The last eleven years have been the warmest on record – an undeniable trend toward a warmer climate – the Copernicus […]

MR wants to reduce fines for Brussels LEZ violations from 350 to 15 euros

January 12, 2026

The French-speaking liberal MR faction in the Brussels Parliament has proposed a measure to significantly reduce fines for violations of the low-emission zone (LEZ) in the capital. The MR strongly opposes what it calls ‘punitive ecology’. It wants to reduce LEZ fines from €350 to €15. This would immediately remove the big stick for owners […]

Beijing’s air quality better than ever thanks to NEVs

January 10, 2026

Air quality in Beijing is better than ever. In 2025, the city reported more than 340 days of ‘good’ or ‘moderate’ air quality, attributable to strict emission regulations and the growing number of electric vehicles in Chinese cities. Heavy pollution days dropped from dozens per year in the early 2010s to almost zero. Over the […]

In 2025, the North Sea was warmer than ever: 11.6°C

January 08, 2026

According to the German Hydrographic and Maritime Transport Office (BSH), the temperature of the North Sea in 2025 was the hottest ever recorded. Compared to the long-term average from 1997 to 2021, it was 0.9°C warmer. The BSH examines the surface temperatures of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea weekly, combining satellite data with […]

Citizens in Ghent map air pollution from wood stoves to traffic

December 17, 2025

In Ghent (Belgium), more than 250 residents will be measuring air quality in and around their homes for three months. This pilot project, called ‘Luchtmeters’ (Air meters), aims to map particulate matter pollution (PM 2.5), an essential source of pollution from wood stoves, traffic, and industry. The pilot is also intended to share experiences and raise […]

Vias: ‘In half of cases, emergency services arrive within 12 minutes’

December 12, 2025

The speed at which emergency services respond is crucial for the survival of road accident victims. The Vias Institute therefore analyzed the time elapsed between answering the emergency call after an accident with injury and the arrival of emergency services at the scene.  In Belgium, emergency services arrive at their destination within 12 minutes (11 minutes and […]

EPA quietly deletes human role in climate change under Trump

December 11, 2025

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has quietly rewritten its climate-change pages, removing or downplaying the scientific consensus that human emissions of greenhouse gases are the dominant cause of current global warming. Under pressure from US President Donald Trump, climate science is being rewritten step by step, and some essential aspects on the EPA’s website have […]

Why you have to finish your Eurostar sandwich before reaching customs

December 11, 2025

Will we soon be hearing “Bon appétite!” or “Enjoy your meal” a little faster before the British border comes into view on the Eurostar? There’s a good chance of that happening, as the British government has changed the rules on bringing meat and dairy products into the UK as ‘personal luggage’ in response to outbreaks […]

United Nations: ‘Sustainability saves lives and money’

December 10, 2025

Sustainability saves lives and the global economy. Investing in a sustainable planet could extend millions of lives, end hunger, and ultimately generate trillions of dollars a year for the worldwide economy.  That is the conclusion of 287 scientists from 82 countries in the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) ‘s Global Environmental Outlook, the most comprehensive report […]

Flemish government scraps stricter low-emission zones

December 01, 2025

The Flemish government has definitively abolished the tightening of the low-emission zones (LEZ). Initially, the plan was to ban diesel cars with the Euro 5 standard and gasoline cars with the Euro 2 standard from Antwerp and Ghent starting in 2026. Still, in September, the Flemish government decided to suspend this tightening. This suspension has […]

Trump seeks to loosen rules on dangerous PM2.5 pollution

November 26, 2025

The US government is trying to roll back the particulate matter limits set by former President Joe Biden. The 2024 rule had cut the allowable ambient concentration of PM2.5 from 12 µg/m³ to 9 µg/m³ — a move aimed at significantly reducing air pollution and protecting public health. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), now headed by a director appointed by […]

Antwerp launches a pedestrian program to encourage walking

November 18, 2025

The city of Antwerp has drawn up its first specific ‘pedestrian program’. The program aims to increase the number of journeys made on foot. The program is an important part of the desired ‘modal shift’, in which journeys by private car are replaced as much as possible by more sustainable alternatives. Because “if we make […]

Vias: ‘Six out of ten traffic victims show signs of depression’

November 18, 2025

Six out of ten people involved in a traffic accident experience symptoms of depression afterwards. In 4 out of 10 cases, these symptoms even persist 10 years later. The Flemish Traffic Safety Institute Vias reached this conclusion after surveying around fifty traffic victims and the same number of family members. This was in the context […]

UN report: ‘Demand for air conditioning could triple by 2050’

November 12, 2025

If current trends continue, the demand for air conditioning could triple by 2050. This is the warning from the Global Cooling Watch 2050 study, published by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) on the sidelines of COP30, the UN climate summit that started on Monday in Belem, Brazil. The increase is thought to be due to population […]

Tom Waes in new VRT campaign: ‘No excuses. Don’t drink and drive’

November 12, 2025

The Flemish national broadcasting company VRT is launching a remarkable traffic campaign to remind Flemish drivers that there are no excuses when it comes to driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. One of the key figures in the campaign is… television producer Tom Waes, who was involved in a traffic accident one year ago, […]

European airlines pledge to stop ‘greenwashing’

November 11, 2025

Twenty-one European airlines have committed to stop making claims in relation to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions deemed misleading, the European Commission said on Friday. The airlines include some of the largest in Europe, such as Lufthansa (parent company of Brussels Airlines), Ryanair, KLM, and Air France. In May, the Belgian Federal Public Service Economy’s economic inspectorate, […]

De Lijn remains a major sponsor of LEZs through fines

October 30, 2025

The Flemish public transport company De Lijn continues to rack up fines for violations of the low-emission zone (LEZ). In the first six months of this year, it has already paid almost 150,000 euros in fines, more than double the total spent in 2024. De Lijn will also have to pay LEZ fines next year. After […]

Bill Gates: ‘Global warming will not lead to humanity’s demise’

October 30, 2025

According to the American billionaire and philanthropist Bill Gates, global warming “is not going to lead to the disappearance of humanity”. While climate change will have “serious consequences, particularly for people in the poorest countries, […] people will be able to live and prosper on most of the planet in the near future,” writes Bill […]

Lancet Countdown warns: climate inaction is killing millions each year

October 29, 2025

The lack of action on climate change claims millions of lives every year and puts health care systems under strain. “The climate crisis has become a health crisis,” states the latest Lancet Countdown report, published today in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO). The Lancet researchers have found that 12 of 20 key indicators tracking […]

More Belgian families opt for cargo or longtail bikes in the city

October 23, 2025

Despite the high cost, Belgian urban families are increasingly opting for cargo bikes. According to figures from the mobility federation Traxio, sales in Belgium have skyrocketed over the past two years, rising by more than 66%, from 9,585 units in 2022 to 15,246 in 2024. The success of the cargo or longtail bike for the […]

Strike threat at Brussels Airlines after firing of crew with ‘bedbug fears’

October 22, 2025

The unions at Brussels Airlines are threatening to take action, such as a strike, following the dismissal of three flight attendants. The three refused to fly to Ghana after the cleaning crew reported pests on board, including fleas and bedbugs. According to Brussels Airlines, it was a false alarm. However, the action of the three […]

LEZ in Brussels leads to faster fleet renewal

October 22, 2025

Criticized by some and cherished by others, the low-emission zone (LEZ) in Brussels is having the desired effect, according to the annual evaluation by Brussels Environment. The LEZ is leading to faster fleet renewal and better air quality in the Brussels-Capital Region. An average of 360,000 unique vehicles drive in the LEZ every day. Just […]

WMO: ‘CO2 in atmosphere increased by record amount’

October 16, 2025

The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere increased by a record amount in 2024, potentially further warming the planet and leading to more extreme climate events. The concentration of greenhouse gases in the air increased by 3.5 ppm (parts per million) between 2023 and 2024 – the highest increase since modern measurements began in 1957. […]

Scientists warn ocean acidification exceeds safe boundary for ecosystems

September 25, 2025

According to a 2025 report from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Research (PIK), ocean acidification has now exceeded a safe boundary for ecosystems. It is the first time it is placed in the ‘danger zone’. This also means that seven out of the nine ‘planetary boundaries’ have now been crossed. This concept of ‘planetary boundaries’ […]

Car-free Sunday: air quality up, noise levels dropping almost completely

September 23, 2025

The recent car-free Sunday, on September 21st, once again proved that air quality is improving and noise pollution is decreasing, especially along Brussels’ busiest roads. The sound pressure dropped by 99 percent compared to a regular Sunday. The measuring stations on the E40 in Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe and the E411 in Oudergem recorded sound pressure levels of 50 […]

Plans for four car-free Sundays in Brussels

September 22, 2025

If outgoing Brussels Minister of Mobility Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) has her way, the capital will become car-free not once but four times a year. Van den Brandt wants to discuss this with the mayors of the 19 municipalities. A poll also shows that most Brussels residents want several car-free days per year. In addition […]

Oil and cement industry emissions directly linked to deadly heatwaves

September 17, 2025

According to a recent Swiss study published in early September in the scientific journal Nature, nearly one-quarter of heatwaves would have been ‘virtually impossible’ without global warming, and can be attributed to the emissions of individual energy producers. In other words, some recent heatwaves would never have occurred without the emissions of a few large […]

Belgian rail offers €8 train return tickets on Car-Free Sunday

September 15, 2025

On September 21, Car-Free Sunday will be organized in various cities and municipalities in Belgium. To mark the occasion, NMBS/SNCB is offering a second-class return ticket for 8 euros. It is noteworthy that in Wallonia, only a few municipalities, such as Moranwelz, Le Bizet, and Ans, are participating in the initiative, while the entire Brussels-Capital […]

Constitutional Court blocks postponement of stricter Brussels LEZ

September 12, 2025

What was feared has come true: the Constitutional Court has suspended the ordinance postponing the tightening of the Brussels low-emission zone (LEZ). Among other things, the Court ruled that the ordinance could cause irreparable harm to one of the petitioners, a child with chronic asthma and allergies. The Court also referred to the ‘standstill’ principle […]

Flanders under pressure to clear up confusion on stricter LEZs

September 10, 2025

From January 1, there is a threat of stricter rules for low-emission zones (LEZ) in Antwerp and Ghent, even though the new coalition agreement stipulated that there would be no such tightening of the rules. Both the governing parties, N-VA and Vooruit, are urging Flemish Minister for the Environment Jo Brouns (CD&V) to provide clarity […]

‘Brussels air quality improves but pollution remains dangerous’

September 03, 2025

Air quality in the Brussels-Capital Region has improved over the past ten years. According to the latest Annual Report on Air Quality from Brussels Environment, the low-emission zone, the accelerated transition from diesel to other engines, the modal shift, and technological developments explain this positive trend. However, not all mandatory standards are being met, and […]

Work has begun on shore power for cruise ships in Zeebrugge

August 27, 2025

On Tuesday, work began to install a shore power installation at the cruise terminal on the Swedish Quay in Zeebrugge (Belgium). In the near future, cruise ships will be able to switch off their polluting diesel generators and fully utilize shore power. Shore power is an environmentally friendly and quiet way for ships to moor. It allows […]

Four times more forest burned in Europe than in an average year

August 21, 2025

This year, 967,026 hectares of nature have already gone up in flames in the European Union – four times the average (244,011) since measurements began in 2006. Spain stands out with a staggering 4.4 times increase, or nearly 392,000 hectares of devastated land (and record fire emissions). Portugal is also severely affected (2.2 times its average), […]

Widening Brussels Ring Road continues to meet government resistance

August 19, 2025

The Brussels Ring Road is only 75 km long, but it can be seen as a symbol of Belgium’s communal complexity. The Works Association (De Werkvennootschap), an entity within the Flemish government established to tackle complex projects, has just reached an agreement with the environmental organization Dryade on the redevelopment of the Brussels Ring Road, […]

UCLA measures double polluting particles around EV fast-chargers

August 18, 2025

A recent UCLA study discovered that the air around EV fast chargers in use had twice the amount of harmful fine particles typically found in an urban environment. Plugging an EV into a DC fast charger kicks up fine particles that pollute the air. Electric vehicles may be completely tailpipe emissions-free, but they still pollute […]

Hasselt is considering banning fatbikes

August 13, 2025

Fatbikes may be very popular, especially among young people, but most cities are happy to see them gone. Some Dutch cities – Enschede, Hengelo, and Amsterdam, for instance – have even considered banning these cumbersome electric bikes, and now the Belgian town of Hasselt in Limburg is also considering a ban. But what exactly is […]

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