According to the opposition party Greens, the Flemish government has not allocated enough resources for the new Blue Deal, designed to better prepare Flanders for drought and water scarcity.
Greens faction leader Mieke Schauvliege stated that without sufficient funding, the Blue Deal will be ineffective. She stressed the urgent need for a budget that matches the severity of the challenges posed by droughts and floods.
Climate change is causing irregular shifts in our water systems, resulting in both more frequent droughts and periods of heavy rainfall. It is not surprising that, immediately following the wettest year on record in 2024, we have experienced the second driest spring.
In response, the previous Flemish government introduced the Blue Deal. Environment Minister Jo Brouns is continuing the initiative, adding €330 million for additional projects on top of the Department of Environment’s regular budget.
While Schauvliege applauds the plan’s objectives, she warns that the budget is wholly inadequate to address today’s climate challenges.
She cites experts, including Professor Patrick Willems from KU Leuven, who argue that significantly greater investments are necessary to prepare Flanders for future challenges. “At least €100 to €150 million per year is needed to tackle climate extremes,” Schauvliege emphasised, highlighting that the current €66 million annually for Blue Deal 2.0 falls far short of this requirement.
