VZCZCXRO9483
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHBS #1238/01 1021534
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 121534Z APR 07 CCY
FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5086
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 001238 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y (CAPTION ADDED) 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/ENV, EB/OGE AND EUR/UBI 
USDOC FOR 4212/OECA/JLEVINE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV EINV BE
SUBJECT: Environmental Problems and Progress May Color 
Elections Green 
 
Ref: (A) 06 BRUSSELS 1637 (B) BRUSSELS 941 
 
BRUSSELS 00001238  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary.  A recent study found that Belgium's ecological 
footprint is among Europe's worst, as it consumes far more 
resources than it produces.  Nonetheless, progress has been 
made in cleaning up Belgium's environment in the past ten 
years, according to a new OECD assessment, with air and 
water quality improved.  Polls indicate greater public 
awareness of and willingness to address the country's 
environmental problems.  PM Verhofstadt's speech opening 
the IPCC meeting in Brussels April 2-6 offered Belgians a 
glimpse of his likely solutions, but what measures are 
ultimately sent to parliament will have to wait the outcome 
of Belgian Federal elections on June 10.  Green issues have 
significantly colored the campaign, which has yet to 
officially start. End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) A California-based non-profit organization, Global 
Footprint Network, issued a study in March showing that 
Belgium consumes three times the quantity of environmental 
and biological resources that it generates.  The figure is 
based on a method that calculates the biocapacity (resource 
supply) of a country compared to its resource demands 
(ecological footprint).  Belgium and Luxembourg, according 
to this calculation, have the worst production/consumption 
deficit ratio of the EU 25, with a -10.9 hectare per person 
deficit.  Currently the world as a whole is using resources 
at a deficit rate of -1.1 hectare per person.  Data for the 
study goes back about 40 years and shows that Belgium's 
capacity to cover its own needs from its biosphere has gone 
down 24 percent, while its resource demands have gone up 
from 3.6 to 5.4 hectares per person.   Factors contributing 
to this drop in environmental sustainability include a 
decreasing stock of natural resources, an increasing social 
dependence on transportation, and growing consumption of 
goods, heat, and electricity.  Global Footprint says the 
evidence indicates the gap will widen. 
 
¶3. (U) On the positive side, an OECD report released in March 
cited Belgian progress on the environment since the last 
OECD study in 1998.  Belgian air quality improved, with 84 
percent fewer harmful dioxins, 88 percent less mercury, and 
80 percent less sulfur dioxide than ten years ago.  Road 
transportation remains a problem, however, with particulate 
matter, CO2 and ozone emissions still high.  The OECD study 
urges Belgium to cut energy consumption and lower 
transportation emissions, perhaps by discouraging road use 
with green taxes on vehicles. 
 
¶4. (U) Water quality has also improved, according to the OECD, 
with half of Belgian waste water now being treated before 
release.  Brussels media echoed this on March 22, with the 
announcement of a new water purification plant entering 
operation.  For perhaps the first time since the industrial 
revolution, Brussels is treating 100 percent of the city's 
effluent before it is pumped into the Senne river.  The 280 
million Euro treatment plant is only the second one for the 
city, and finally fulfills a 1991 EU Directive to member 
states to clean up urban water systems.  The new plant can 
treat the effluent of 1.1 million persons; in 2006 the 
average Belgian used 70,300 liters per person.  (The US 
average is over 110,000 liters per person per year.) 
Despite this major progress in its capital, overall Belgium 
still leaves half of its waste water untreated. 
 
--------------------- 
Ready to Face Reai ----------- 
¶5. (U) A Francophone daily Le Soirgionally uneven, public awry's ecological situ 
 
atio 
respondents in franco@t) and 
Brussels (82 poncerned about at 
leasdntal problem, but a majorrcent) said they were noted by any ecological isg 
 
e, 
pollution, and wafh tlp@tdate the role of househ 
BUSTED 
 
BRUSSELS 00001238  002 OF 002 
 
 
heating usage, estimating it creates 10 percent of 
emissions, while it is actually 25 percent. 
 
¶7. Capitalizing on Belgians' new-found sympathy for the 
environment, political leaders in the country are lining up 
to promote energy and environment-saving programs.  The 
coming June 10 federal elections also spur this effort, as 
Belgium's major parties vie for the votes usually drawn to 
the green parties (already small, rendered even weaker by 
dividing into French- and Dutch-speaking groups).  Isabelle 
Durant, secretary general of the francophone Ecolo party, 
called for action to keep Flanders from losing 63,000 
hectares over the next century.  Drawing on data from the 
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which met 
in Brussels April 2-6, she said a seven-inch rise in the 
North Sea has already been confirmed, and expectations are 
for up to 59 centimeters (two feet) rise by 2100.  (Ref B 
details the impact climate change could have on Belgium.) 
Half of Belgium's 65-kilometer long sea coast is already 
protected by dikes and earthworks. 
 
¶8. Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt (Flemish Liberal Open 
VLD), speaking at the opening of the IPCC, said the Royal 
Meteorological Institute calculates that Belgium's average 
climatic temperature has already risen one degree in the 
past 20 years.  Verhofstadt wasted no time in capitalizing 
on the emerging social consensus, claiming that unpopular 
measures are inevitable, and it is the responsibility of 
today's politicians to take such measures.  "We should be 
daring enough to use fully the most powerful instruments we 
have ? taxes," he said.  While noting that the budget 
already implements several environmental taxes (ref B), the 
Prime Minister cited several new options for Belgium:  a 
tax on private cars based on CO2 emissions (already in 
place for company cars), a tax on business energy use, and 
a tax on housing based on energy consumption.  Verhofstadt 
also proposed a "Minister of Climate" be added to the 
federal cabinet.  This idea received mixed reviews, some 
lauding it if tied to existing energy or environment 
portfolios, others claiming it demeaned the work of the 
existing junior minister for sustainable development -- 
currently a Flemish Socialist (Spirit) party member.  Green 
parties say they favor a Climate Minister and would be 
happy to join a coalition government if they could obtain 
that post. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Comment:  The Prime Minister has not actually 
proposed these measures to parliament, which is in "lame 
duck" session and rushing to complete a lengthy agenda 
prior to its dissolution in early May to face elections. 
Polls reveal increasing attention to environmental issues, 
and Verhofstadt's proposals reflect a greater public and 
political willingness to come to grips with environmental 
problems.  Belgium's ongoing debate whether to reconsider 
Parliament's 2003 decision to start decommissioning Belgian 
nuclear power plants in 2015 had already injected 
environment and climate change issues into the campaign. 
The long history of Brussels roblems, 
largely perceivcal leader is 
proposing exemplifies this balacing act.  End Comment. 
 
Imbrie