What do we see?
Compared to 2005, emissions were 20% lower in 2021. After a gradual decrease between 2005 and 2014 from 92 million tonnes to 76 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents, a further decrease in greenhouse gas emissions did not occur until the one-time sharp decrease in COVID year 2020. In 2021, the Flemish Region emitted 73.4 Mt CO2 equivalents of greenhouse gases, 64.1 Mt CO2 (87% of total emissions). This is an increase of 3.4 Mt CO2 equivalents compared to 2020, but a decrease of 3.6 Mt compared to 2019.
Total emissions can be divided into those regulated through the European Emissions Trading System (ETS) – this mainly concerns industry and the energy sector – and those not covered by that system (non-ETS). The latter decreased by 10% in the period 2005-2021. Again, we see a sharp drop in COVID year 2020 due to a sharp decline in transport flows and some other economic activities influenced by the pandemic, complemented by the effect of a very mild winter on building heating requirements. In 2021, emissions increased again; that year’s winter was colder compared to 2020.
What’s the aim?
We consider territorial emissions to be gaseous waste products and leakage flows, which evidently should be minimal. Furthermore, the pursuit of a circular economy should be accompanied by the pursuit of lower environmental impact. The large emissions of greenhouse gases, much of which can be linked to the production, use and waste phase of products, contribute to global warming and must be very much reduced.
Several policy targets have been set for territorial greenhouse gas emissions. For ETS emissions, targets are set and regulated for the whole of Europe: greenhouse gas emissions must be 21% lower by 2020 and 62% lower by 2030 than in 2005. European member states must also reduce their ESR emissions (Effort Sharing Regulation) according to a linear decreasing path with annual reduction targets. For non-ETS emissions, Flanders strives for a linear reduction that must reach a value of -40% in 2030 compared to 2005 as laid out in the Flemish Energy and Climate Plan.
What does this indicator measure?
This indicator measures the evolution of territorial greenhouse gas emissions within Flanders. A distinction is made between emissions that are covered by the European Emission Trading System (ETS) and those that are not (non-ETS). The figure does not take into account emissions and sinks due to (changes in) land use and forest management (so-called LULUCF), nor does it take into account emissions from NF3 and CO2 emissions from domestic aviation; these components are outside the burden sharing and targets.
