The climate measures outlined in the Flemish coalition agreement will not be enough for the region to reach its 2030 climate targets, according to a report conducted by the Flemish Energy and Climate Agency (VEKA).
The new measures will put Flanders on track for a 33.2% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 2005. However this falls short of the self-imposed target of a 40% reduction and the European Union's expectation of a 47% reduction.
The report predicts that total emissions in Flanders in 2030 will amount to 33.6 metric tonnes (Mton) CO2-equivalent. This is 3.4 Mton higher than the region’s target of 30.2 Mton and 17.6 Mton higher than the EU's required 47% reduction target.
The coalition agreement aligns closely with the updated projections calculated by VEKA without the new measures, which ranged between 33.5 and 33.8 Mton CO2-equivalent, or a reduction of 32.9 to 33.6%. Therefore, the new government's climate policy fails to make substantial improvements.
Shortfalls in farming and transport
In agriculture, there is a significant shortfall of 1.9 Mton CO2-equivalent, although VEKA acknowledges that many factors could not be fully accounted for. In the transport sector, there is an excess of 0.9 Mton CO2-equivalent, mainly due to slower electrification of passenger cars.
The previous draft Energy and Climate Plan assumed all new cars would be electric from 2029. VEKA now notes some assumptions were insufficiently substantiated or are no longer applicable, such as phasing out fossil fuel cars by 2029. This results in a slower greening of the vehicle fleet in the new forecast.
Reacting to the findings, Flemish Energy and Climate Minister Melissa Depraetere (Vooruit) stated that "We face a huge challenge. Unfortunately, Flanders is not as far along as we thought. We will therefore all have to make a serious effort. If we do not invest now, the bill will be doubled and thick for the Flemish people in a few years."
Flemish Energy and Climate Minister Melissa Depraetere. Credit: Belga / Nicolas Maeterlinck
Depraetere added that the government will start working on updating the Flemish Energy and Climate Plan. This will contain "additional measures" in "various areas".
Yelter Bollen of Bond Beter Leefmilieu (a federation of Flemish environment organisations) calls on the Flemish government in response to use this "wake-up call" to "finally implement an effective climate policy in all sectors, to free us from fossil fuels at a rapid pace".
Groen MP Aimen Horch stated that the current government "simply does not implement a climate policy".
"This government will not even achieve its own low ambition of a 40% reduction in CO2 emissions, let alone the 47% bar that Europe expects from us," he said. "That is downright embarrassing and completely irresponsible. This government is playing with the future of this and future generations."
