Despite the growing popularity of electric cars, greenhouse gas emissions in Flanders have stopped falling for the third consecutive year.

The uncomfortable finding comes just days before thousands of climate protesters are expected to return to the streets of Brussels on Sunday, October 11th, demanding stronger action against global warming.

According to the Flemish Energy and Climate Agency (VEKA), emissions have stagnated since 2022, with preliminary figures for 2025 indicating a slight increase.

The agency’s latest progress report, published on September 25th, highlights a troubling paradox: while the electrification of passenger cars is accelerating, overall emissions are no longer declining.

Looking further back, Flanders has made considerable progress, with total greenhouse gas emissions in 2024 standing 27% below their 2005 level. However, that downward trend has stalled, leaving the region with a considerable challenge to meet its target of reducing emissions in sectors outside the European emissions trading system by 40% by 2030. Transport, particularly freight traffic, remains one of the biggest obstacles.

But why are emissions stagnating?

First and foremost, there were a number of exceptional economic circumstances. There was the coronavirus crisis in 2020, with reduced traffic and economic activity, followed by the economic crisis, with lower gas consumption due to higher prices.

Electric company cars have become increasingly popular, yet they still accounted for only around 10% of the total passenger car fleet at the end of last year. Electrification takes time to translate into lower emissions as older combustion vehicles remain on the road.

The electrification of commercial vehicles will continue to gain momentum as older diesel and petrol vehicles are phased out. However, the transition for trucks and vans needs to happen much faster to come close to meeting the Flemish targets.

According to the VEKP, we must primarily look at sectors where emissions have shown little to no improvement in recent years. The transport sector, for example, accounts for roughly a quarter of total CO2 emissions in Flanders. 

Since 2005, emissions in this sector have fallen by only 7 percent. While emissions from passenger transport are 21 percent lower than in 2005, those from freight transport are 14 percent higher.

For Groen chair Aimen Horch, the policy falls short. “In the Netherlands, 8 out of 10 delivery vans are electric; in Flanders, that figure is only 1 out of 10. The Netherlands invested in charging stations in time.

34,390 heat pumps

In 2025, 34,390 heat pumps were installed, yet heating oil systems still generated 2.5 million tons of CO₂ equivalent in 2024 – approximately 35% of emissions from residential buildings. “The renovation policy for buildings is also failing. “People want to renovate, but often they cannot. The government should help them.”

According to Horch, climate policy is about giving people the opportunity to make sustainable choices: you need to be able to buy an electric car, renovate your home, and use public transport. “You need to be able to make that choice easily, intuitively, and affordably,” he says.

The stagnation of emissions is, incidentally, sufficient reason to mobilize thousands of people again this Sunday, October 11th, for a climate march in Brussels. The Climate Coalition, representing around one hundred Belgian civil society organizations, is organizing another national demonstration.

New climate protest in Brussels

Thousands of climate protesters are expected to return to the streets of Brussels, exactly one year after a similar demonstration with some 30,000 participants, according to organizers.

The march starts at 2 p.m. near Brussels-North station and heads toward the European quarter and Schuman roundabout. Choirs, DJs, and brass bands will accompany the protesters.

This time, protesters will also point to Western Europe’s hottest summer on record, renewed concerns about energy prices, and Belgium’s continued financial support for fossil fuels. It is calling for a permanent tax on exceptional profits made by fossil fuel companies, arguing that part of those revenues should finance the transition.

The political context of this Sunday’s demonstration has also changed. Following the energy crisis linked to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, the coalition argues that reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels is not only an environmental necessity but also an economic and geopolitical one.

Flemish Climate Minister Melissa Depraetere (Vooruit) acknowledges that previous policies were insufficient but argues that additional measures introduced in the updated climate plan of July 2025 have yet to produce measurable results.

She points to measures targeting buildings, mobility, and agriculture, as well as a fiscal shift to make electricity more affordable.