Belgium has fallen another spot in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), the annual ranking of climate performance compiled by environmental NGOs GermanWatch and the NewClimate Institute.
In this regard, our country (38th place) lags behind its four neighbors: Luxembourg (6th), the Netherlands (10th), France (20th), and Germany (25th), and is definitely not on track to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
Progress is too slow
Two new reports released during the climate summit (COP31) in Turkey highlight the same problem: Belgium is reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but progress is too slow, particularly in transport and renewable energy.
Belgium scores ‘low’ on average in terms of climate policy, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy use. This puts our country in 38th place – somewhere in the middle of the pack.
No structural shift toward more sustainable transport
Environmental NGOs condemn, among other things, the weakening of the renewable energy target in the latest National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP). Furthermore, they point out that emissions from the transport sector continue to rise, despite policies concerning electric commercial vehicles.
Fossil fuels still account for more than two-thirds (69%) of final energy consumption, vehicle numbers continue to grow, and there is no visible structural shift toward public transport, rail, or inland waterway transport.
The number of passenger cars is also increasing, although the share of electric vehicles is growing. The transition has begun, but it is progressing far too slowly.
Belgium’s overall greenhouse gas emissions fell by approximately 32% between 1990 and 2024. However, domestic transport emissions remain 19% above their 1990 level, while emissions from international aviation and shipping have increased by 67%.
Luxembourg on top, US at the bottom
The top three spots on the ranking generally remain empty, as no country has a policy in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Denmark ranks 4th for the sixth consecutive year. Lithuania and Luxembourg follow, while oil-producing nations such as Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United States, under the leadership of climate skeptic Donald Trump, and Iran rank at the very bottom.
Turkey and Australia – the joint hosts of the UN climate summit, COP31, currently taking place in the Turkish resort town of Antalya – rank 53rd and 54th, respectively.
What will Belgium do?
Belgium’s National Energy and Climate Plan aims to meet its EU obligation to reduce emissions in sectors covered by the Effort Sharing Regulation by 47% by 2030 compared with 2005. The European Commission considers this achievable only with additional flexibility mechanisms.
Existing measures include favorable taxation for zero-emission company cars, renewable-energy investments, and incentives for building renovations. The introduction of ETS2 carbon pricing for road transport and heating, scheduled for 2028, should further encourage electrification.
However, the Belgian Federal Climate Transition Barometer, published on 12 November, concludes that Belgium is still not on track for climate neutrality by 2050. Progress in electricity generation, buildings, and agriculture is insufficient to offset the slow transition in transport and continued dependence on fossil fuels.
