Emissions of road transport

This indicator measures the impact of fuel consumption by vehicles in Flanders based on the greenhouse gas emissions caused by this consumption.

15,183 kt CO₂-eq.

  • In 2021, emissions from passenger transport were 8,372 kt CO2 equivalents.
  • In the same year, emissions from freight transport amounted to 6,811 kt.

What do we see? 

The emission curves from both passenger and freight transport show an undulating trend. The maximum values of both were reached before 2010. Since then, passenger transport emissions have shown a steady decline, while freight transport emissions remained fairly stable. The lower emissions in 2020 were linked to the COVID crisis, when passenger transport emissions fell much more than freight transport emissions. In 2021, both values were much lower than prior to 2020.



What’s the aim?

In a circular economy, we aim to minimise material use and emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions due to fuel consumption account for a large share of Flanders’ total emissions from mobility. A primary goal is to reduce emissions from fuel consumption by switching to more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles, and reducing the number of vehicles. For freight transport, rail and water transport options can be further explored, as well as the deployment of sustainable last-mile delivery options.

What does this indicator measure?

This indicator measures the impact of fuel consumption in Flanders based on greenhouse gas emissions, expressed in kilotonnes of CO2 equivalents. The data are provided by the Flanders Environment Agency (VMM).

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