Belgium
Belgium Country Profile (World Bank)
Status under International Climate Change Law
- UNFCCC: signature (June 4, 1992) and ratification (January 16, 1996)
- Kyoto Protocol: signature (April 29, 1998) and ratification (May 31, 2002)
- Quantified emission limitation or reduction commitment: 7.5% reduction in annual emissions below the 1990 base year levels in the commitment period 2008–2012
- Vienna Convention: signature (March 22, 1985) and ratification (October 17, 1988)
- Montreal Protocol: signature (September 16, 1987) and ratification (December 30, 1988)
- LRTAP: signature (November 13, 1979) and ratification (July 15, 1982)
- Energy Charter: signature (December 17, 1994); provisional application of Part VII
- Energy Efficiency Protocol: signature (December 17, 1994)
- Espoo Convention: signature (February 26, 1991) and ratification (July 2, 1999)
- 2030 Commitment: 40% domestic reduction in emissions below 1990 levels by 2030, to be fulfilled jointly by European Union member states (15% reduction in domestic emissions below 2005 levels by 2020, in accordance with Decision No. 406/2009/EC of the European Parliament and Council)
- INDC summary – includes LULUCF and gases covered (Center for Climate and Energy Solutions 2015)
- INDC summary – includes adaptation and conditions for implementation (Climate Policy Observer 2016)
Federal Laws on Climate Change
Climate
Energy
- Act on Organization of the Electricity Market (1999) [French] [Dutch]
- Act on the Progressive Phase-out of Nuclear Energy from 2015 to 2025 (2003) [English]
- Royal Decree of 16 July 2002 on the Introduction of Mechanisms Promoting Renewable Electricity Generation (2002) [French] [Dutch]
- Act Programme (creation of Fund for General Reduction of Energy Costs) (2005) [French] [Dutch]
- Act on Biofuel Blending Obligation (2013)
- Royal Decree on the Tax Regulation Mechanism and Excise Duty Exemptions for Rapeseed Oil Biofuels (2006) [French] [Dutch]
- Royal Decree of 19 December 2002 Establishing Technical Regulations for the Management of the Electricity Transmission Grid (2002) [French] [Dutch]
Other
National Plans, Programs and Initiatives
- Belgian National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (National Climate Commission) (2010) [English]
- Co-operation Agreement on the National Climate Plan and the National Climate Plan (2002)
Local, State, and Regional Legislation and Initiatives
- “Plan Air Climat” (Walloon Region) [French] [Dutch]
- European Union Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) (2015)
- EU Adaptation Strategy Package (European Commission)
- European Climate Adaptation Platform (Climate ADAPT)
- 2020 Climate & Energy Package (European Commission) (2007)
- Decision No. 406/2009/EC of the European Parliament and Council of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on the effort of Member States to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to meet the Community’s greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments up to 2020 (European Parliament and Council) (2009)
- Directive 2010/31/EU of The European Parlaiment and of The Council of 19 May 2010 on the energy performance of buildings (European Parliament and Council) (2010)
- Directive 2012/27/EU of The European Parlaiment and of The Council of 25 October 2012 on energy efficiency(European Parliament and Council) (2012)
- European Union Trading Scheme (EU ETS) (European Commission)
Government Documents
- 2014 Annex I Party GHG Inventory Submissions
- National Inventory Report (2014) [English]
- Common Reporting Format (2014) [English]
- Sixth National Communication under the UNFCCC (2014) [English] [French]
- Second Biennial Report to the UNFCCC (2015) [English]
Additional Resources
- National profile: Belgium (Renewable energy policy database and support – RES-LEGAL EUROPE) (2013)
- Climate change – Belgium (Climate Change Post)
- Belgium Climate change impacts on water systems (OECD Secretariat) (2013)
- Belgium (Europe’s Energy Portal)
- EU Country Profile (Climate Action Tracker) (2015)
Summaries of legislation compiled from Nachmany, M., et al. 2014. “The GLOBE Climate Legislation Study: A Review of Climate Change Legislation in 66 Countries. Fourth Edition.” London: GLOBE International and the Grantham Research Institute, London School of Economics.
Updated as of: May 9, 2016