Climate Change Laws of the World will soon be upgraded to be AI powered, see full announcement
Belgium flag
Belgium

Overview and context

Laws
8
Policies
6
Litigation cases
6
Climate targets
11

Region
Europe & Central Asia
% Global Emissions
0.23 %
Global Climate Risk Index
63.83
Income group (World Bank)
High income
Main political groups
OECD; EU
Federative/Unitary
Federative 3 communities, 3 regions
Region
Europe & Central Asia
Income group (World Bank)
High income
% Global Emissions
0.23 %
Main political groups
OECD; EU
Global Climate Risk Index
63.83
Federative/Unitary
Federative 3 communities, 3 regions

Visualise data on the map

The Climate Change Laws of the World map helps understand our database information in context by showing climate laws, policies, and litigation cases in relation to key climate-related indicators.

Nationally Determined Contribution (UNFCCC website)

EU flag This country is a member of the EU and so EU NDC data is being displayed.
For further information about the EU's NDC, legislation, and targets, please see the EU profile

Legislative process

The Kingdom of Belgium is a federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy. The national government was created through the 1993 revision of the 1831 Constitution, which has been amended several times, most recently in May 2014. The national government is composed of three Communities (Flemish, French and German-speaking) and three Regions (Flemish, Walloon and Brussels-Capital), each with it

The Kingdom of Belgium is a federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy. The national government was created through the 1993 revision of the 1831 Constitution, which has been amended several times, most recently in May 2014. The national government is composed of three Communities (Flemish, French and German-speaking) and three Regions (Flemish, Walloon and Brussels-Capital), each with its own executive and legislative bodies. The Parliament, jointly with the King who heads the federal executive, have the right of legislative initiative. The Constitutional Court is the highest judicial body. On the federal level, the bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate representing the federated entities (60 seats; 50 senators from federated entities, 10 co-opted; elected for a five-year term) and a House of Representatives representing the citizens (150 seats; members directly elected by popular vote for a five-year term; proportional representation). The last federal election was held on 25 May 2014, and the next is scheduled for 2019.

The Constitution is the highest-ranking legal norm, followed by, in descending order, federal Special Acts (which require special majority and organize division of powers and operational rules of public institutions); federal Acts and federated entities’ Decrees and Ordinances (the legal value of the latter being restricted to the territorial boundaries of the concerned region); and royal, government and ministerial orders implementing the Acts or Decrees. In addition, an ‘Agreement on Co-operation’ can be adopted among the federated entities and the national government, and is often used in climate change policy in cases where actions need to be co-ordinated at the national level. A draft Act is voted in plenary session of one or both of the Parliament Chambers depending on its content. It is then transmitted to the King, who gives his assent and promulgates the Act after countersignature by the relevant Minister. The Act generally takes effect the 10th day after publication in the official Gazette.

from the Grantham Research Institute
from the Grantham Research Institute
Publication banner
Climate Change Laws of the World uses cookies to make the site simpler. Find out more about cookies >>