Flemish Energy and Climate Plan inadequate, Advisory Council says
The Social and Economic Council of Flanders (SERV) is not enthusiastic about the region's Energy and Climate Plan. In its report to the Flemish government, the advisory and consultative body of employers' and employees' organisations says the plan is insufficiently substantiated and contains unrealistic targets.
A "shaky and floating plan" based on "figures and forecasts that are probably far from realistic" is how the SERV describes the Flemish Energy and Climate Plan, in which the Flemish government has outlined how it intends to achieve its climate and energy targets.
According to SERV, the plan is insufficient to meet the European target of a 47 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030
The plan is part of the national climate plan that Belgium was due to submit to the European Commission today. According to SERV, the plan is insufficient to meet the European target of a 47 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030 from 2005 levels. It is even insufficient to meet the 40 per cent currently proposed by Flanders.
The Council questions the figures highlighted in the report as it is unclear how Flanders intends to achieve certain emission reductions in practice or how it intends to pay for them. The calculations are not transparent or do not seem to add up. The plan would also miss opportunities to reduce the Flemish energy bill.
Expensive future
The SERV warns that these inadequate plans could lead to a big bill in the future, particularly if the European Commission sends Belgium's climate plan back to the drawing board, or if Flanders has to compensate for missing emissions by buying emission rights from other countries.
What will happen if the governments cannot agree on the final Belgian climate plan, which is due to be submitted to the European Commission in June 2024, is also unclear. Flanders has not yet clarified what it intends to do if Belgium misses this deadline or if Europe deems the climate plan inadequate.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO TIJS VANDERSTAPPEN
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