Blog 6

Belgium has created a group composed of representatives of federal and regional administrations to prepare and enforce policies on this sustainable goal called the Belgian coordination committee for international environmental policy.

One of the first plans Belgium carried out was The Plan Marshall. It is for the Walloon economy based on training, research, and development and territorial management. This gives energy revolution an appealing look as “green” production is increasing and has positive consequences on the environment. (United Nations 2019)

Another step Belgium has taken is working on the region of Brussels-capital which covers housing, economy, employment, mobility, environment, safety, research, inheritance, tourism, trade, culture, social policy. This plan is one in which they will create projects that “favor sustainable development” in companies, schools, administrations and households.

A number of other policies have earned specific focus. Some of those being people having to pay a polluter-pays principle which is taxes for water pollution, groundwater extraction, waste incineration and landfill. Hopefully motivating people to use or produce less waste. Another one seen in a lot of other countries is using eco-labels. (United Nations 2019)

The Belgian federal Minister for Climate and Energy launched “spring of the environment.” This has helped the country label products, advertise, and supply eco-friendly products. There is also an Air-Climate Plan in which farmers will start using renewable energy and grant an agricultural network of biotmehanisation. (United Nations 2019) Biomethanisation is when methane is turned into carbon dioxide which people and animals need to breathe. This process will help reduce the usage of fossil fuels and reduce CO2 emissions, thusly contributing help to climate change. (Angelidaki, I. 2011) (Picture below)

Some other planned goals in the future are to have better access to sustainable products and services, development of tools for better consumer information, public procurement policies, and more. Housing seems to be the focal point of Belgians concerns. In their next step to complete this goal, they plan on involving more stakeholders from the beginning to involve more cooperation, try to educate more citizens considering it is one of the main reasons this goal is a problem in the first place, and continue creating and enforcing policies. (United Nations 2019)

Angelidaki, I., Karakashev, D., Batstone, D. J., Plugge, C. M., & Stams, A. J. M. (2011). Biomethanation and its potential. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21402222

United Nations. (2019). The ten year framework of programs on sustainable consumption and production patterns. Retrieved from https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/dsd/dsd_aofw_ni/ni_pdfs/NationalReports/belgium/The_ten_year_framework_of_programmes_on_sustainable_consumption_and_production_patterns.pdf