Belgium’s greenhouse gas emissions saw a slight increase in 2024 after years of decline, according to a report by Le Soir on Tuesday.
The emissions rose by 0.21% compared to 2023. This followed a 4.62% decrease in 2023 compared to 2022.
The growth was primarily driven by CO2, which accounts for 87.4% of Belgium’s total emissions.
Preliminary analysis attributes the rise largely to increased emissions from major industrial sectors in Flanders.
These sectors account for 29% of the country’s total emissions, or 28.3 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, out of Belgium’s overall 97.9 million tonnes.
Although the increase is minor, it disrupts a steady downward trend seen since 1990, Belgium’s reference year. The only other exception was a post-Covid rebound in emissions in 2021, notes Le Soir.
