April 26, 2024
Automotive supplier Continental has agreed to a 100 million euro fine imposed by prosecutors for its involvement in the notorious dieselgate emissions scandal. The fine was due to a “negligent breach of supervisory duties”, meaning the company undertook too little to inspect responsibility and managers for the supply of engine control units and related software […]
April 24, 2024
E-bikes are popular among the elderly, and the number of Belgians buying them is rising. Still, you better use a helmet when you get on your e-bike. According to a recent study from Zurich, the injuries you can suffer in a fall or accident are even more comparable to those of motorcyclists rather than conventional […]
April 23, 2024
According to a study by the Federal Planning Office, the 2012 reform of the Flemish vehicle registration tax (BIV) led to a faster but small decrease in CO2 emissions from new passenger cars in Flanders. The additional impact of the Flemish reform of the annual circulation tax in 2016 and the premium for emission-free cars, […]
April 12, 2024
In Paris, the bicycle has overtaken the car as a means of transport and is now behind walking and public transport. According to a survey by the Paris Region Institute (IPR), conducted at the request of some 15 public and private institutions, Parisians use bicycles more, chosen for 11,2% of intramural trips, than cars, with […]
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 05, 2024
The French-speaking Brussels socialist party PS wants the ban on diesel vehicles with emission class Euro 5, which will apply from January 2025, to be postponed for two years. The socio-liberal DéFI also wants a review of the low-emission zone (LEZ) rules. Energia, the former Belgian Petroleum Federation, in turn, wants the rules around the […]
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 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 26, 2024
Mobility organization Touring is calling for a moratorium on the Euro 5 ban in Brussels from January 2025. Tightening the allowable emissions standard in the Brussels Region would exclude 850,000 vehicles, including 700,000 passenger cars and 150,000 vans. Touring says a moratorium would encourage a smoother transition to EVs, pending a more diverse and affordable […]
March 13, 2024
From Friday 22 to Sunday 24 March, Tour & Taxis will host the sixth edition of the bike fair Bike Brussels. In the event location’s ‘Gare Maritime, ‘ more than 150 exhibitors will guide cycling enthusiasts through the latest innovations in the sector, recent accessories that can come in handy for a trip on two […]
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 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 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 […]
January 02, 2024
From January 1st, 2025, the city center of The Hague will become a zero-emission zone. This means that vans and trucks driving in this area have to be emission-free – electric or running on hydrogen. The measure should improve air quality and reduce noise pollution, nitrogen deposition, and CO2 emissions in the city. The same […]
December 29, 2023
American powertrain manufacturer Cummins has to pay almost $1,7 billion as a fine for selling devices that can bypass emissions sensors. The US Department of Justice sees this as a direct violation of the Clean Air Act and has imposed a fine, which is the second-largest in the history of the Act, which was installed […]
December 28, 2023
In 2023, the air quality significantly improved in Belgium’s biggest cities (Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, and Charleroi). According to figures from the Interregional Cell for the Environment (Ircel), Belgium is well on its way to achieving the recommended value of the World Health Organization (WHO). It showed the lowest nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter emissions in […]
December 27, 2023
Royal HaskoningDHV, a global consulting engineering company, has reported that the lithium levels in the river Rhine near Lobith, in the Dutch province of Gelderland, are already higher than the risk limit. Users of Rhine and Meuse water may now or in the future suffer from higher lithium levels. The lithium concentrations in river water […]
December 20, 2023
The city of Antwerp will adjust its low-emission zone (LEZ) regulations and postpone the next tightening of the standards from 2025 to 2026. The city will also take additional social measures and increase the number of day passes per year (from 8 to 12). By relaxing the rules, diesel cars with Euro 5 standard (or […]
December 18, 2023
On Friday, the Belgian Federal Council of Ministers will consider the final details of a Royal Decree to ban nitrous oxide, the so-called ‘laughing gas’. The product’s sale, import, possession, transport, and purchase will be prohibited unless it concerns a medical, technical, or nutritional application. Nitrous oxide has become a popular drug among young people. […]
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 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 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 […]
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 13, 2023
Belgian pedestrians are far from satisfied with the walkability of their municipality. The average result is 10,4 out of 20 when asked to assign a score. The figures come from the first Belgian Pedestrian Barometer, published by Tous à Pied, Pedestrian Movement, and Walk this Sunday.Brussels. The participants were invited to respond to various statements, […]
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 12, 2023
It all started with one street three years ago. But by 2025, the low-emission zone in Stockholm that will ban all vehicles on gasoline and diesel will expand to twenty living zones and cover 180 000 square meters in the heart of the Swedish capital. The ruling parties call it one of the most ambitious […]
October 10, 2023
More than a thousand employees of Tesla’s Brandenburg factory, near Berlin, are asking for better working conditions. Labor union IG Metall says that many employees complain about short production cycles, excessive production targets, and staff shortages. It’s not the first time that Tesla’s German factory is in the news, and not only for appalling work […]
October 10, 2023
Nearly 10 major European cities, including Paris, Brussels, and Rome, have petitioned the European Parliament, demanding stricter standards for air quality and exhaust emissions. The 27 EU member states approved in September a watered-down regulation. This has yet to be negotiated with the European Parliament, which has not yet determined its position. The 27 do […]
October 09, 2023
The Federal Minister of Mobility, Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo), has a preliminary draft ready for a framework law to provide a legal basis for all decisions regarding the operation of Brussels Airport. According to the minister, the text is essential to avoid new legal proceedings over noise pollution, in which the State sometimes has to pay […]
October 02, 2023
The federal government will increase the bicycle allowance for those who commute by bicycle from 0,27 euros to 0,35 euros per kilometer. In addition to the increase, there will be an annual ceiling for the tax exemption of 2 500 euros per year. According to figures from HR service provider SD Worx, almost one in […]
September 26, 2023
Despite climate ambitions to phase out carbon emissions by 2050, fossil companies continue to invest in new oil pipelines and platforms, shale gas projects, and even coal mines. To finance these activities, they increasingly rely on the cooperation of the banks. That is what the newspaper De Tijd revealed on Tuesday, based on research from […]
September 25, 2023
Twenty-six Antwerp action groups have joined forces and launched an election memorandum on Friday about mobility in the province of Antwerp. The memorandum calls for a “catch-up” effort, including “substantial investments” in public transport and pedestrian and cycling facilities. According to the activists, the promised “modal shift” to at least 50% of journeys that must […]
September 20, 2023
The Car-Free Sunday in Brussels again positively impacted air quality and reduced noise pollution. So says the Brussels public service Brussels Environment. On the 23rd Car-Free Sunday, concentrations of nitrogen monoxide and dioxide dropped by 95 and 77%, respectively, compared to a normal Sunday. Readings were taken on Regent Avenue, a spot near Arts-Loi/Kunst-Wet where […]
August 29, 2023
As earlier announced, London is expanding its environmental zone. Almost all of London will become an ultra-low-emission zone (ULEZ) as of today. The measure is intended to tackle pollution, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve the air quality for residents and visitors. But not everybody is happy with the new ultra-low-emission zone because it will […]
August 15, 2023
The city of Amsterdam has had enough of noisy cars and motorbikes and is taking measures to fight the noise nuisance. The city will introduce an experiment and install noise displays in particular spots in the city center. Later this month, sound meters and noise speed cameras will be added, and finally, noisemakers will be […]
July 31, 2023
London intends to expand its ultra-low-emission zone again and, according to the Court, is allowed to do so. In this zone, polluting cars – even with a foreign license plate – must pay a daily surcharge of about 14,50 euros (£12,50). A fine of up to £180 ( more than 200 euros) is imposed if […]
July 17, 2023
Federal Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) wants a total ban on night flights from 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. for Zaventem airport. As expected, many political parties, concerned companies, and interest groups reacted sharply and negatively to Gilkinet’s striking proposal to do away with the 16 000-night flights that currently take off from Brussels Airport. […]
June 30, 2023
Primary school ‘De Wieken’ in Kinrooi (Limburg, Belgium) wants to make the bicycle helmet compulsory next school year. The reason for it is a recent accident in which a 10-year-old boy suffered a severe brain injury. The boy, who did not wear a helmet, was hit by a car while crossing the road and landed […]
June 12, 2023
Some 200 people from ‘Non au plan Good Move’ protested the Brussels Good Move mobility plan in Anderlecht on Sunday. The local committees against the mobility plan from several Brussels municipalities are demanding a new regional mobility plan for Brussels. The committees recently succeeded in collecting the required 1 000 signatures with which to interpellate […]
June 05, 2023
Seven European transport ministers want to make 2024 the year of cycling. They launched this call on World Cycling Day. The United Nations has declared the 3rd of June World Cycling Day in 2018 to draw attention to the benefits of bicycles. The seven mobility ministers are asking Europe to develop a genuine cycling policy. […]
May 31, 2023
The Antwerp University Hospital (UZA) is the first in Belgium to use a fully-electric ‘mobile urgency group’ (MUG) in the shape of a Mercedes EQV, which has been fully equipped to be as efficient as possible to work with and to save lives. The UZA was the first hospital to use a MUG service, where […]
May 26, 2023
One out of ten (10%) Walloon car drivers admit having taken the wheel after taking medication that could have consequences on driving behavior. That is what a new study by the Walloon Agency for Road Safety (L’Agence Wallonne pour la Sécurité Routière, AWSR) revealed on Thursday. Each year, about 25 fatal road accidents are medicine […]
May 25, 2023
Brussels Airport Company, the operator of Zaventem airport, posted a net profit of 16 million euros last year. It is the first time in three years that it’s back in the black. “The profit in 2022 was still limited, but it does shed light at the end of the tunnel,” said airport chief Arnaud Feist. […]
April 24, 2023
Every year, air pollution causes more than 1 200 premature deaths among minors in Europe. That is what the European Environmental Agency (EEA) states in its latest report. The report relates to about 30 countries on the continent, including the 27 member states of the European Union. The results show that the still high air […]
April 05, 2023
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, one of Europe’s largest air hubs, will, from 2025-2026, ban night flights and private jets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution. Aircraft will be banned from taking off between midnight and 6 a.m. and will not be allowed to land before 5 a.m., the airport’s CEO Ruud Sondag said in […]
April 04, 2023
Planes at Brussels Airport cause strong annoyance to 220 000 residents. As a result, the cost of health damage would amount to more than 1 billion euros annually. This emerged from a new study by Bond Beter Leefmilieu (BBL), the Flemish federation for a better environment. The study, carried out by study agency ENV-ISA at […]
March 01, 2023
Flemish citizens lose fifteen months of healthy life due to exposure to fine particles in the air. That is the disturbing conclusion of Statistiek Vlaanderen, the Flemish governmental agency network that develops statistics. Due to air pollution, in 2021, 153 healthy life years were lost (per 10 000 inhabitants) in the Flemish region, 10 000 […]
February 27, 2023
Like humans, dogs can suffer from car sickness when traveling, even for short distances. But if your dog had the choice, he’d prefer a smooth-driving electric vehicle over a noisy diesel car. British website CarGurus did the scientific test with the help of Daniel Mills, professor of Veterinary Behavioural Medicine, and his team at the […]
February 15, 2023
Almost one in seven young drivers drove under the influence of one or more drugs in the past month. Eight percent of Belgian motorists – 5% in Flanders and 8% in Wallonia – drive a car after using sleeping pills or tranquilizers at least once a month. In Brussels, the problem is even worse: 17% […]
February 15, 2023
The Brussels region is stepping up the fight against noise pollution. Environment Minister Alain Maron (Ecolo) presented a pilot project testing two noise radars on Tuesday. The aim is to provide Brussels residents with a pleasant and healthy noise environment. In 2019, the Brussels Region approved the quiet.brussels plan. The plan’s objective is to reduce […]
February 14, 2023
The number of cyclists traveling through Brussels during the morning rush hours almost doubled in 2022 compared to 2021. Cyclists seem to be moving increasingly safely in the city. The conclusions come from the Bicycle Observatory. Four times a year, the Bicycle Observatory organizes bicycle countings in the Belgian capital. The 104 hours of manual […]
January 25, 2023
By May 1st at the latest, all workers in the private sector will be entitled to a bicycle allowance. In addition, trade unions and employer organizations concluded a supplementary collective agreement in the National Labour Council (NAR). The compensations, indexed annually, amount to 0,27 euros per km for those who regularly cycle to and from […]
December 27, 2022
The city of Lille is to introduce an eco-bonus to ease highway congestion. So writes the French newspaper Le Monde. Congestion on the highways to Lille during rush hours is increasing so that alarm thresholds for fine particles in the air are increasingly being exceeded. Those who do not use their cars during rush hours […]
November 24, 2022
The European Environment Agency (EEA) has published its recent ‘Air Quality in Europe 2022’ assessment, and the conclusion is not really reassuring. Although Europe’s air quality keeps on improving, air pollution still remains the largest environmental health risk in Europe, causing chronic diseases and premature deaths. According to the EEA, at least 238 000 people […]
November 15, 2022
Belgian traffic safety institute Vias would like to see nitrous oxide, the so-called ‘laughing gas’, forbidden in Belgium too. The Dutch Ministry of Public Health, Welfare, and Sport recently announced that from January 1st, 2023, the aforementioned product will be on the list of banned substances. In other words, possession, sale, and use of laughing […]
October 24, 2022
The Flemish government will not immediately tighten the low-emission zones in Flanders. That decision will be postponed due to the citizens’ purchasing power crisis. Minister for the Environment Zuhal Demir (N-VA) announced the decision on Friday. Normally, the Flemish government would tighten the low-emission zone regulation on January 1st, 2025. According to the new regulation, […]
October 21, 2022
Staff members of the Flemish government will be allowed to lease a ‘company bicycle’ as of November. The initiative is intended to focus on sustainability and the well-being of the employees. Employees can ask for a company bike in exchange for some vacation days and/or part of their end-of-year bonus. They’re free to jump at […]
October 18, 2022
The air quality in Antwerp, and more particularly in the many so-called ‘street-canyons’ – densely populated streets with high buildings where pollution is ‘trapped’ – has still not improved. That is what the action group Recht op Lucht (ROL) (‘the right to clean air’) concludes after some measurements in the city. “Our findings should be […]
October 14, 2022
Last year, air pollution in Flanders increased again. According to the latest report of the Flemish Environmental Agency (Vlaamse MilieuMaatschappij, VMM), this is due to the revival of the economy, intensified traffic after corona, and probably the increased wood burning. The good news is that the concentration levels of polluting substances are lower than in […]
