Flanders and Wallonia strike first joint deal with industry on carbon capture
The Flemish and Walloon governments have, for the first time, reached an agreement with industry on carbon capture, storage and transport (CCS). In a joint declaration signed on Thursday, both regions pledged to do everything possible to ensure the necessary investments in CO2 infrastructure take place in Belgium.
The declaration was signed by Flemish minister-president Matthias Diependaele and his Walloon counterpart Adrien Dolimont, at building materials manufacturer Holcim in Obourg, Mons, together with the CEOs of 17 major industrial companies and the heads of employers’ organisations Voka and AKT.
The companies involved account for the majority of industrial CO2 emissions in Belgium, mainly those that are hard to reduce through conventional means. Voka said that, if these companies go ahead with their CCS plans in Flanders and Wallonia, at least 7.5 million tonnes of CO2 will no longer be released into the atmosphere every year.
"Flanders and Wallonia want to be pioneers in carbon capture, storage and transport"
"Governments and companies are sending a strong signal: Flanders and Wallonia want to be pioneers in carbon capture, storage and transport," said Frank Beckx, managing director of Voka. "A framework for future investments in carbon capture is crucial if we want to give industry a future here. It will create a new value chain, new jobs and additional value for our economy."
Diependaele described the signing as "a clear political signal." "You have to combat climate change with concrete measures and actions," he said. "That means giving our industry the tools to decarbonise, not just setting ever stricter targets."
N-VA opposed EU climate deal
The deal was announced the day after European Environment ministers agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the EU by 90 per cent compared to 1990 levels by 2040. Belgium abstained from the vote, primarily due to opposition from Flanders.
On Wednesday, Flemish Climate minister Melissa Depraetere expressed her disappointment at the abstention, saying that while there was a good proposal on the table, "not every party agreed". Although she did not mention the party by name, Depraetere was referring to Diependaele's N-VA.
On Thursday, Diependaele explained the N-VA's opposition, stating: "For us, the European ambition for 90 per cent fewer emissions by 2040 must go hand in hand with a strong, forward-looking industry. The European climate texts did not give us enough guarantees to protect, let alone strengthen, our industry’s competitiveness."
#FlandersNewsService | Flemish minister-president Matthias Diependaele and Walloon minister-president Adrien Dolimont. © BELGA PHOTO VIRGINIE LEFOUR
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