COP27: Belgium joins carbon-neutral initiative

Belgium's Climate minister Zakia Khattabi signed the Net-Zero Government Initiative launched by the United States, on Thursday at the Climate Conference (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh.

The initiative, aimed at making authorities carbon neutral by 2050 at the latest, brings together 19 countries. It recognises that governments and public authorities are often the largest employers and energy consumers in a country, own large fleets of vehicles and buildings and therefore need to lead by example in accelerating the transition to carbon neutrality.

The signatories commit to establishing, by 2023 and COP28, a roadmap outlining the means to achieve net zero emissions. This roadmap, which will include midterm targets, if necessary, will be made public.

"The Belgian federal government has already set itself the target of net zero emissions for its buildings by 2040 at the latest, as well as targets for clean energy and zero-emission vehicles. It is, therefore, with great conviction that I have signed this initiative of the United States", the minister said.

The US initiative has 19 signatories. In addition to the United States and Belgium, they include Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Germany, Finland, France, Ireland, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Lithuania, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Austria, Singapore, the United Kingdom and Switzerland.

^{Belgian Climate Minister Zakia Khattabi © BELGA PHOTO JAMES ARTHUR GEKIERE}