What do we see?
Over the period from 2012 to 2021, the moving average first shows a steady increase. From 2019 onwards, the materials footprint decreases. Across the board, the value in 2021 is 2% higher than in 2012; expressed per capita we see a decrease from 30.4 to 29.5 tonnes per capita, a decrease of 3%. The decrease visible in the last data points has yet to be confirmed because this is where the impact of the COVID crisis is reflected: the value itself increased again in the year 2021, but this is not visible in the moving average.
What’s the aim?
The materials footprint of Flemish consumption ideally captures the consumption of materials inside and outside Flanders to meet the needs of the Flemish economy. Linked to this consumption are environmental impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions or emissions related to waste. That is why the Flemish Government has adopted a target for this indicator: the materials footprint must be reduced by 30% by 2030 and by 75% by 2050.
