A Belgian appeals court has ruled that the country must reduce its 1990 CO2 emissions levels by 55% by the year 2030. As of the end of 2021, Belgium had only managed to lower its greenhouse gas emissions by 24%, according to CleanTechnica.

The court has ordered the government to accelerate its emission reduction efforts. The court dismissed arguments that Belgium’s contribution to climate change is limited by its small size.

In addition, the court found that the government’s insufficient emissions reduction is a violation of the European Convention on Human Rights.

This is the first time that Belgian authorities have been assigned mandatory reduction targets. In 2019, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to require emissions reduction by law.

The Belgian appeals court could also begin fining the government 1 million euros per month in 2025 if further progress on emissions reduction is not made.

This ruling is a result of the case filed by Klimaatzaak against the Belgian state nine years ago on behalf of 85,000 claimants. The case argued that the Belgian government was not doing enough to address climate change, thereby disregarding the population’s right to life.

Belgian climate minister Zakia Khattabi has noted that the 55% emissions reduction requirement will be challenging to fulfill. Belgium’s existing constitutional framework gives regional governments the primary responsibility for environmental and climate policies. The national government’s role is focused on facilitating the work of the regions.

Although Belgium’s decarbonization progress has been slower than its European neighbors, the country’s renewables sector is still growing rapidly. Belgium currently has the fourth-largest offshore wind sector in the world.

Climate activists are celebrating the Belgian appeals court decision. However, it remains to be seen how much of an impact climate litigation will have on CO2 reduction efforts.

According to a report from the UN Environment Programme, there were 2,180 climate-related court cases globally between 2020 and 2022. 70% of these cases were filed in the United States. Nevertheless, US oil and gas production hit an all-time record in 2023.

In addition, the Netherlands has continued to miss its emissions reduction targets in the years following the 2019 ruling.

Image Source: Dana Drugmand