Total greenhouse gas emissions (without LULUCF)

Belgium’s emissions have been falling since 2005 but reached a plateau between 2015 and 2019. In 2020, following the COVID-19 crisis, travel restrictions and a reduction in industrial activity led to a significant reduction in emissions. The resumption of activity in 2021 caused emissions to increase, but without returning to 2019 levels. Emissions in 2022 fell drastically due to very mild winter temperatures and the rise in energy prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In 2023, Belgium’s sectors regulated by the emissions trading system (ETS) reduced emissions by 4.3 Mt of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂eq) compared with 2022, while non-ETS-regulated sectors (excluding LULUCF) saw a smaller drop, of 0.4 Mt CO₂eq. Fluorinated gas emissions also fell by 0.4 Mt CO₂eq, mainly due to declines in commercial cooling and industrial activity. Transport emissions, however, continued to rise (by 1.5%) towards pre-pandemic levels.

Projections under the ‘with additional measures’ scenario suggest that a 43% reduction in ESR emissions would be achieved by 2030 by implementing the measures included in the draft update of the NECP. Thus, significant efforts remain to be made to achieve the target of a 47% reduction in ESR emissions by 2030 compared with 2005.