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Environment · Europe & Central Asia · High income

Belgium: environment and emissions

CO₂ per person is 7.31 t (2024), 31st of 203 in the world and 10th of 49 in Europe & Central Asia. GHG per person is 9.09 t (2024), 37th of 203 in the world and 14th of 49 in Europe & Central Asia. GHG emissions is 107.8 Mt (2024), 49th of 203 in the world and 14th of 49 in Europe & Central Asia.

CO₂ per person7.31 t2024 · world 31/203 · region 10/49GHG per person9.09 t2024 · world 37/203 · region 14/49GHG emissions107.8 Mt2024 · world 49/203 · region 14/49CO₂ emissions86.6 Mt2024 · world 43/203 · region 13/49
CO₂ per person
BelgiumEurope & Central AsiaHigh incomeWorld
0.05.01015199520002005201020152020Belgium7.31 tEurope & Central AsiaHigh incomeWorld
GHG per person
BelgiumEurope & Central AsiaHigh incomeWorld
0.05.0101520199520002005201020152020Belgium9.09 tEurope & Central AsiaHigh incomeWorld
15 indicators

Environment: Belgium in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Europe & Central Asia; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
CO₂ per personCO₂ emissions per capita, tonnes7.31 t202431/20310/4912.18 t10.55 t7.97 t−16%since 20146.62 t9.75 t4.69 t
GHG per personGreenhouse gas emissions per person, t CO₂e9.09 t202437/20314/4914.82 t12.89 t10.02 t−17%since 20148.65 t12.50 t6.36 t
GHG emissionsTotal greenhouse gas emissions excl. land use, Mt CO₂e107.8 Mt202449/20314/49151.9 Mt140.5 Mt115.7 Mt−12%since 20147,953.3 Mt17,426.5 Mt53,206.4 Mt
CO₂ emissionsCO₂ emissions, total excl. land use, Mt86.6 Mt202443/20313/49124.9 Mt114.9 Mt91.9 Mt−11%since 20146,082.4 Mt13,596.6 Mt39,632.7 Mt
MethaneMethane emissions, Mt CO₂e11.7 Mt202493/20319/4915.9 Mt13.9 Mt12.6 Mt−8.9%since 20141,278.5 Mt2,534.1 Mt9,536.5 Mt
Renewable energyRenewable energy, % of final energy consumption11.7%2021136/21242/541.4%6.2%12.3%+5.0 ppsince 201115.1%12.8%19.7%
Renewable powerRenewable electricity, % of output23.5%2021102/20636/512.7%8.4%27.4%+13.0 ppsince 201134.4%26.7%27.8%
PM2.5 exposurePM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure, µg/m³8.4 µg/m³2023166/20041/5219.8 µg/m³17.2 µg/m³9.1 µg/m³−46%since 201314.4 µg/m³13.0 µg/m³32.9 µg/m³
Forest coverForest area, % of land area22.0%2024128/21435/5722.0%22.7%22.0%−0.7 ppsince 201438.6%36.2%31.1%
FarmlandAgricultural land, % of land area44.4%202482/21027/5545.8%44.7%44.8%+0.5 ppsince 201429.1%28.2%36.9%
Arable landArable land, % of land area28.3%202433/20615/5328.4%27.5%28.4%+1.4 ppsince 201412.3%9.0%10.7%
Protected areasTerrestrial and marine protected areas, % of territory18.6%202565/21325/55··17.6%−5.6 ppsince 201513.2%22.2%17.0%
Water withdrawalsFreshwater withdrawals, % of internal resources35.8%202244/17711/4762.8%49.6%35.4%−8.3 ppsince 20126.7%6.4%9.0%
Freshwater per personRenewable internal freshwater per person, m³1,027 m³2022125/18340/481,171 m³1,101 m³1,040 m³−4.9%since 20127,674 m³10,983 m³5,393 m³
Cereal yieldCereal yield, kg per hectare6,856 kg/ha202413/1792/488,021 kg/ha9,348 kg/ha8,431 kg/ha−27%since 20144,045 kg/ha5,394 kg/ha4,229 kg/ha
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

Belgium and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with Belgium. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorBelgiumGermanyFranceLuxembourg
CO₂ per person7.31 t20246.94 t20244.00 t202410.56 t2024
GHG per person9.09 t20248.07 t20245.52 t202411.90 t2024
GHG emissions107.8 Mt2024674.4 Mt2024378.1 Mt20248.1 Mt2024
CO₂ emissions86.6 Mt2024579.9 Mt2024274.5 Mt20247.1 Mt2024
Methane11.7 Mt202455.5 Mt202467.0 Mt20240.6 Mt2024
Renewable energy11.7%202117.6%202116.2%202120.5%2021
Renewable power23.5%202139.8%202122.8%202189.0%2021
PM2.5 exposure8.4 µg/m³20238.8 µg/m³20238.2 µg/m³20237.4 µg/m³2023
Forest cover22.0%202432.8%202432.9%202434.5%2024
Germany: environmentFrance: environmentLuxembourg: environment
Environment in Europe & Central Asiaall 58 economies rankedEnvironment: high-income countries86 economies rankedEnvironment: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesBelgium: all key statisticscountry profile