Climate case: “Ambitious climate policy does not lead to collective impoverishment” | Domestic

At the end of November, Flanders, together with the Brussels Capital Region and the Belgian State, were convicted on appeal because, according to the Brussels Court of Appeal, they have made and are making too little effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The three governments must make greater efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990.

Everyone benefits from a socially just climate policy, the Climate Case believes. “The Social Economic Council of Flanders (SERV) calculated that every 5 percent reduction in greenhouse gases before 2030 means a saving of 400 million euros per year in fossil import costs,” it says. “The imposed reduction will generate billions of euros that can help every Flemish person, and the most vulnerable first, with the energy transition.”

Minister Demir announced that he would appeal the judgment in cassation. However, the organization notes that a cassation procedure does not have a suspensive effect. “Pending the possible ruling in Cassation, the judgment must be carried out in good faith,” the Climate Case writes. According to the activists, it is harsh to say that too much needs to be done in a short time, since “Flanders has not worked on accelerating climate policy over the past ten years.” “Further delays of this political generation will have to be compensated between 2030 and 2050.”

The imposed reduction target is a recovery measure. “According to established case law of the Court of Cassation, the judiciary can order a government to achieve certain objectives, while retaining the freedom to determine the appropriate means,” according to the Climate Case. “One may dismiss the judges as activist or undemocratic for this, but in a constitutional state the highest court has the final say on this.”

LOOK. What is the so-called Climate Case?