A recent report by Oxfam, titled ‘Climate inequalities in Belgium: a small country with too large a footprint,’ has revealed that the CO₂ emissions of the richest Belgians exceed those of the rest of the population. This is according to research from the Stockholm Environmental Institute, which analyzed consumption emissions of different income groups in 2019.
The findings showed that the top 1 percent emits as much as the lowest 15 percent of income earners, with the top 10 percent emitting as much as the lowest 45 percent. The majority of Belgians exceed their carbon budget, which is the allowable emissions required to avoid surpassing a 1.5 degree Celsius global warming limit set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Belgium ranks ninth worldwide in terms of emissions per person, higher than the United States and second only to Malta in Europe.
The high emissions are attributed to several factors, including industry contributing nearly half of the country’s emissions and societal focus on cars and imported emissions. However, it is believed that the primary reason for high emissions per capita in Belgium is due to the significant carbon footprint of wealthiest individuals. Their emissions are driven by their transport choices, investments in fossil fuels, and other factors.
Rikst van der Schoor, climate and inequality expert at Oxfam Belgium, emphasized that climate change exacerbates inequality with those least responsible for causing it bearing severe impacts. The report highlights urgent action must be taken to address these inequalities effectively combat climate change.
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