Belgium’s Efforts to Address Environmental Issues

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Belgium is a country found in the North Western Europe, where It borders with France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. It has a surface area of 11,849 square miles. The estimated population is 11.54 million in 2019. Belgium is ranked as one of the safest and peaceful country. However, like all the other countries facing environmental crisis, Belgium is facing serious air pollution issue. The countrys role as a European traffic crossroads has left vehicular traffic at a high level, exacerbating carbon emissions. Environmental quality is below the OECD average and the countrys two main cities, Antwerp and Brussels, are among cities in the OECD suffering most from air pollution. As in other Belgian urban areas, there are multiple sources of pollution, but the largest contributors are heavy industry, activities around the harbor in Antwerp and extremely dense road congestion in urban areas. Belgium is also among the 50 nations that emit the highest levels of carbon dioxide from industrial sources. Belgium’s problems with air pollution have also affected neighboring countries by contributing to the conditions which cause acid rain.

Although there are many environmental problems faced by Belgium, Belgium is also taking stance for the issues. Belgium has signed the Paris Agreement on 22nd April 2016. The purpose of the agreement is to fight back against climate change and to stop temperature from rising to 3.6-degree Fahrenheit above the pre industrial level. Belgium signed the agreement and made a pact to reduce greenhouse emissions and uses to green energy sources by 2020 the goal is to keep temperature under 2.7-degree Fahrenheit. Along with this, Belgium is preparing a National Energy and Climate plan for the period 2021-2030 and would be submitting it at the end of 2019 to the European Commission. Belgium is also a member of European Environment Bureau supporting sustainable development and environmental justice, dealing with issues like climate change, biodiversity, pollution and renewable energy. Along with this, Belgium has a full membership in AIRCLIM, Carbon Market Watch, CEEweb for Biodiversity, J&E etc.

The Kyoto Protocol was signed and ratified by Belgium respectively in April 1998 and in May 2002. Belgium is committed to a specific greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction. Belgium has met the commitments under the Kyoto Protocol’s first commitment period (2008-2012), reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 7.5% compared to 1990 levels. Belgium is implying the Aarhus Convention as a role of better governance, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters was adopted on 25 June 1998. It entered into force on 30 October 2001. The Aarhus Convention is created to empower the role of citizens and civil society organizations in environmental matters and is founded on the principles of participative democracy. Hence, Belgium is working its way through to find, imply and adapt to possible solutions against climate change and is for environmental justice.

References

  1. http://www.egmontinstitute.be/content/uploads/2013/09/ep18.pdf?type=pdf
  2. https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Europe/Belgium-ENVIRONMENT.html#ixzz63uFSyNCJ
  3. https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Europe/Belgium-ENVIRONMENT.html#ixzz63uFBje8u
  4. https://www.sgi-network.org/2017/Belgium/Environmental_Policies
  5. https://aarhus.osce.org/about/aarhus-convention
  6. https://www.belgium.be/en/environment/the_aarhus_conventionfbclid=IwAR16_KCx5t5TA_0aBcfb9VfMxywpLofm1qetV1yw0DJayX_BI255DN3DZjE

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