Belgium has slipped another place in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), the annual ranking of climate performance compiled by environmental NGOs Germanwatch and NewClimate Institute. The country now sits in 38th place, remaining in the middle of the table.
The United States, under climate sceptic Donald Trump, and Iran bring up the rear, Belga News Agency reports. Belgium 's climate policy is generally rated "low". Across the four categories assessed, the country scores "medium" for greenhouse gas emissions and energy use.
Its ratings for renewable energy and climate policy are "low". Among other things, the environmental NGOs criticise the lowering of the renewable energy target in the latest National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP). They also point out that transport-sector emissions continue to rise despite policies on electric company cars.
Experts also view cuts to development cooperation funding and Belgium's stance on certain climate-related issues, such as European methane regulation and the carbon border tax, negatively. As usual, the top three places in the ranking are left vacant because no country has policies aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Denmark finishes in fourth place for the sixth year in a row. Lithuania and Luxembourg follow, both moving up the rankings by four and two places respectively. At the very bottom are oil-producing countries such as Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United States and Iran.
The European Union is in 19th place (+1), while the United Kingdom (7th) is the only G20 member whose performance is rated "high". Turkey and Australia, co-hosts of the UN climate summit COP31, currently taking place in the Turkish resort city of Antalya, rank 53rd and 54th, respectively.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Kazakhstan had presented its climate investment platform at COP31.