The environment of Belgium is generally affected by the high population density in most of the country. However, due to consistent efforts by the various levels of government in Belgium, the state of the environment in Belgium is gradually improving. These efforts have led to Belgium being ranked as one of the top 10 countries (9 out of 132) in terms of environmental protection trends. However, water quality still suffers from a relatively low, yet increasing percentage of sewage waste-water treatment, and from historical pollution accumulated in sediments. Air quality is generally good to average, but is affected by emissions from traffic and house heating, and industrial air pollution blowing over from the neighboring heavily industrialized Ruhr-area in Germany.[1] Biodiversity is lower in Flanders than in Wallonia because of population density and fragmentation of habitats, but efforts are being made to boost bio-diversity through connecting fragmented forests and national parks through wildlife crossing "ecoducts" such as in Kikbeek.[2]
Belgium has one of Europe's highest waste recycling rates. In particular, the Flemish region of Belgium has the highest waste diversion rate in Europe. Almost 75% of the residential waste produced there is reused, recycled, or composted.[3][4]
Since the 1993 State Reform, the environment is a regional responsibility, with the Flemish, Walloon and Brussels-Capital Regions responsible for environmental matters in their respective territories. This has led to differences in legislation and separation of measurements and publication of statistics.
- ^ "OECD Better Life Index". www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
- ^ "Ecoduct Kikbeek - Wikimapia". wikimapia.org. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
- ^ "Belgium Hosts Europe's Best Recycling and Prevention Program". Triple Pundit: People, Planet, Profit. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
- ^ "UN Belgium Waste Management Report" (PDF). Retrieved 9 April 2016.