One year after the actual deadline, Belgium has still not submitted a social climate plan to the European Union, reported the Bond Beter Leefmilieu and the research organisation Carbon Market Watch on Tuesday.
The organisations refer to "one year of climate inaction".
For the Bond Beter Leefmilieu, it is a sad anniversary. As long as the various Belgian authorities fail to reach an agreement, Belgium will not have access to the €2.2 billion from the Social Climate Fund.
Yet, the country could really do with that money. Belgium could use the funds "to help the most vulnerable among us switch from fossil-fuel transport to clean alternatives, and from gas and heating oil to electric heating – and cooling".
Not alone
At the same time, Belgium is not alone: no fewer than 19 countries have yet to publish a Social Climate Plan.
"As a result, more than €85 billion in funding for social climate policy remains on the back burner," the organisations pointed out.
This national Social Climate Plan is, in fact, necessary in order to be eligible for funding from the European Social Climate Fund.
The plan is ultimately intended to protect vulnerable households from the costs of the ETS-2 emissions trading system. From 2028, suppliers of heating oil, natural gas, petrol and diesel will have to purchase emission allowances for every tonne of CO₂ emitted by their fuels – a cost that is expected to be passed on to consumers.
This so-called ETS2 system is intended to reduce emissions in these sectors, just as ETS1 has done in industry.
That is why the organisations are launching a joint petition under the slogan: ‘Leave fossil fuels behind, not people’.
They are calling on policymakers to press ahead with the European Emissions Trading Scheme for buildings and road transport (ETS-2) while simultaneously scaling up social climate policy.
