Environment is mostly a regional competence in Belgium, as the federal government has limited responsibilities in this field. This can lead to administrative capacity issues in some cases.
Intensive agriculture, in particular in Flanders, growing transport notably to and from Antwerp port, and relatively high population density in Flanders and Brussels regions exert strong pressures on nature and biodiversity.
Highlights
Belgium is one of the EU’s best performers on circular economy as regards resource productivity, circular material use, separated municipal waste collection, and preparation for reuse and recycling. Regional plans, together with the federal action plan, are the driving force behind Belgium's circular economy transition.
The ‘floating islands’ in the Brussels port is a good-practice example for nature-based solutions in an urban environment. It consists of 84 floating ecosystem modules creating 224 m² of floating habitat, in which 17 native plant species provide a habitat for birds, fish and pollinators, while some phytodepuration plants help to filter the water.
Main Challenges
Pollution
Effective action is needed to improve water quality both in surface and groundwater bodies. Most water bodies in Belgium are affected by several sources of pollution. In Flanders nitrates pollution is very serious, caused directly by the very high livestock density which impacts surface water quantity and quality. Concentrations of nitrates in surface and ground waters have remained fairly stable in the Walloon region.
Circular Economy
Despite being one of the EU’s best circular economy performers, the market for recycled products remains limited and has a lot of room to grow. Further progress could be made by introducing new economic instruments, avoiding the incineration of reusable or recyclable waste — especially in the Brussels region — and by making the reuse and recycling of waste more economically attractive.
Governance and investment
The investment gap per year in Belgium is equal to around 0.67% of national GDP – lower than the EU-average (0.77%).
Belgium must ensure that relevant information on environmental impact assessment (EIA) and strategic environmental assessment (SEA) procedures (including on public participation possibilities and the publication of final decisions) is electronically accessible.