Country Profiles

Belgium - Country Profile

The national targets (or equivalent) presented in this database are taken from the NBSAPs received since COP-10, fifth national reports or from documents submitted separately. The mapping of national targets to the Aichi Biodiversity Targets by the Party concerned is indicated in the last column “Related Aichi Target(s)”. All Parties are encouraged to undertake this mapping exercise and to submit this information to SCBD for incorporation in this database.

Reference Target Related Strategic Goals/Aichi Targets
Op. obj. 4c.2 Enhance and encourage the role of farmers as biodiversity actors 1
Op. obj. 4c.4 Promote the integration of biodiversity into rural development 1
Op. obj. 4d.1 Promote the implementation of good fishing practices in the North Sea, favourable to fish protection and their habitats, including the implementation of the Common Fishery Policy 1
Op. obj. 4f.1 Promote the conservation of forest biodiversity through independent credible forest certification systems that provide a guarantee for sustainable forest management 1
Op. obj. 4g.1 Promote integrated management of hunting grounds in cooperation with farmers, foresters and environmental NGOs and the application of good hunting practices 1
Op. obj. 4g.2 Promote the involvement of hunters as biodiversity actors 1
Op. obj. 5.3 Ensure that this Strategy is taken into account in decision-making and policy discussions and encourage the development and use of guidelines for the integration of biodiversity into all relevant sectoral policies 1
Obj. 8 Involve the community through communication, education, public awareness and training (all operational objectives) 1
Op. obj. 9.3 Ensure full compliance with and enforcement of the environmental liability regime (i.e. Directive 2004/35 CE on environmental liability) towards biodiversity offences 1
Obj. 5 Improve the integration of biodiversity concerns into all relevant sectoral policies. 2
Op. obj. 5.11 Integrate biodiversity values into national (federal and regional) policies, programmes, planning processes and reporting systems, and develop an approach to support incorporation into national accounting if needed. 2
Obj. 4 Ensure and promote the sustainable use of components of biodiversity. 3
Op. obj. 4a.1 Identify and promote good practices involving the sustainable use of biodiversity 3
Op. obj. 4b.1 Avoid or minimise the risk to biodiversity posed by production and consumption, products and services 3
Op. obj. 4b.2 Adopt biodiversity criteria in public procurement policies to prevent biodiversity loss 3
Op. obj. 4g.1 Promote integrated management of hunting grounds in cooperation with farmers, foresters and environmental NGOs and the application of good hunting practices 3
Op. obj. 5.5 Eliminate, phase out or reform incentives, including subsidies, harmful to biodiversity in order to minimize or avoid negative impacts on biodiversity and encourage the development and application of incentives favourable to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, including economic, fiscal and financial instruments 3
Op. obj. 2.3 Investigate the potential impact on biodiversity of the internal trade (legal and illegal) of live animals and plants at a Belgian level and potentially adapt relevant regulations, including market regulation when appropriate 4
Obj. 4 Ensure and promote the sustainable use of components of biodiversity (including the 23 operational objectives under obj. 4) 4
Op. obj. 5.1 Promote and support stakeholders involvement inter alia through partnerships at all levels of decision-making relating to biodiversity 4
Op. obj. 5.3 Ensure that this Strategy is taken into account in decision-making and policy discussions and encourage the development and use of guidelines for the integration of biodiversity into all relevant sectoral policies 4
Op. obj. 1.2 Identify and monitor priority species, habitats, genetic and functional components of biodiversity 5
Obj. 3 Maintain or restore biodiversity and ecosystem services in Belgium to a favourable conservation status (all operational objectives) 5
Op. obj. 4b.1 Avoid or minimise the risk to biodiversity posed by production and consumption, products and services 6
Op. obj. 4c.1 Promote measures favourable to biodiversity under the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy 6
Op. obj. 4.d Fishery in marine and inland waters 6
Op. obj. 4d.1 Promote the implementation of good fishing practices in the North Sea, favourable to fish protection and their habitats, including the implementation of the Common Fishery Policy 6
Op. obj. 4d.2 Ensure that recreational and sport fishing practices at sea and inland waters respond to ecological management objectives to avoid adverse impacts on biodiversity 6
Op. obj. 4d.3 Prevent GM fish from threatening marine and freshwater biodiversity and populations 6
Obj. 4 Ensure and promote the sustainable use of components of biodiversity (includes objectives on agriculture, forestry, fishery in marine and inland waters) 7
Op. obj. 5.3 Ensure that this Strategy is taken into account in decision-making and policy discussions and encourage the development and use of guidelines for the integration of biodiversity into all relevant sectoral policies 7
Op. obj. 11.6 Contribute to the creation of an enabling environment for biodiversity in partner countries, based on national priorities, in particular in support of the development of National Protected Area programmes, National Forest Programmes, integrated coastal and marine programmes, or other equivalent instruments, as well as their integration into relevant policy instruments 7
Op. obj. 3.6 Take measures to minimise the impact of the identified processes and activities threatening biodiversity and ecosystem services 8
Op. obj. 4a.1 Identify and promote good practices involving the sustainable use of biodiversity 8
Op. obj. 4c.6 Reduce the impacts of pesticides on biodiversity and ecosystem services 8
Op. obj. 4f.1 Promote the conservation of forest biodiversity through independent credible forest certification systems that provide a guarantee for sustainable forest management 8
Op. obj. 4g.1 Promote integrated management of hunting grounds in cooperation with farmers, foresters and environmental NGOs and the application of good hunting practices 8
Op. obj. 2.1 Investigate and monitor,the effects and causes of activities and processes, including new and emerging risks, that threaten components of biodiversity in Belgium 9
Op. obj. 3.7 Invasive alien species (IAS) and pathways are identified and prioritized, priority species are controlled or eradicated, and measures are in place to manage pathways to prevent their introduction and establishment 9
Op. obj. 4c.8 Ensure that the production of plants, inter alia non indigenous plants, for renewable energy does not negatively impact on biodiversity 9
Op. obj. 5.7 Consider the potential impact on biodiversity, and in particular the invasiveness of species, in making import and export decisions 9
Op. obj. 2.2 Investigate and monitor the effects of climate change on biodiversity 10
Obj. 3 Maintain or restore biodiversity and ecosystem services in Belgium to a favourable conservation status. 10
Obj. 3 Maintain or restore biodiversity and ecosystem services in Belgium to a favourable conservation status 11
Op. obj. 3.1 At least 17 per cent of terrestrial and inland water areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, are conserved through the development of effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative and well-connected systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, and are integrated into the wider landscapes 11
Op. obj. 3.2 At least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, are conserved through effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative and well-connected systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, and are integrated into the wider seascapes 11
Op. obj. 4h.1 Apply CBD tools to monitor and control the impact of tourism on biodiversity, in particular in protected areas 11
Op. obj. 3.4 Develop and implement action plans so as to ensure the maintenance or rehabilitation of our most threatened species to a favourable conservation status 12
Op. obj. 4c.5 Promote the sustainable use of genetic resources for food, and agriculture 13
Obj. 3 Maintain or restore biodiversity and ecosystem services in Belgium to a favourable conservation status. 14
Op. obj. 3.3 Ecosystems, their resilience and their services are maintained and enhanced by establishing, inter alia, a green infrastructure and restoring at least 15 % of degraded ecosystems. 14
Op. obj. 5.8 Maximalise the advantages for health arising from biodiversity and expand the collaboration between the interested organisations / public services 14
Obj. 3 Maintain or rehabilitate biodiversity in Belgium to a favourable conservation status. 15
Op. obj. 3.3 Ecosystems, their resilience and their services are maintained and enhanced by establishing, inter alia, a green infrastructure and restoring at least 15 % of degraded ecosystems. 15
Obj. 6 Promote and contribute to an equitable access to and sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources - ABS 16
Op. obj. 6.1 By 2014, raise awareness about the concept of ABS in the context of the CBD and the Nagoya Protocol, and widely disseminate information on ABS 16
Op. obj. 6.2 By 2014, ratify and implement the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization 16
Op. obj. 6.3 By 2020, have mechanisms in place to enhance national and global cooperation on ABS issues 16
Op. obj. 6.5 By 2015, have a functional Access and Benefit Sharing Clearing- House in place 16
Belgium intends to revise its NBS by WGRI-6 in 2014 17
Op. obj. 6.4 By 2020, create operational mechanisms to protect the knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities embodying traditional lifestyles relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity 18
Obj. 7 Improve and communicate scientific knowledge on biodiversity and ecosystem services (all operational objectives under obj.7) 19
Obj. 15 Ensure the provision of adequate resources for biodiversity 20
Op. obj. 15.1 By 2020 at the latest, the mobilization of financial resources for biodiversity from all sources (including possible innovative financial mechanisms), should increase substantially compared to the average annual biodiversity funding for the years 2006-2010 20
Op. obj. 15.2 Fully use existing EU financing instruments to promote biodiversity 20
Op. obj. 15.3 By 2015, contribute towards the doubling of the total biodiversity-related financial resource flows to developing countries and at least maintain this level until 2020, including through a country-driven prioritization of biodiversity within development plans in recipient countries, using as preliminary baseline the average annual biodiversity funding to developing countries for the years 2006–2010 20
Op. obj. 15.4 By 2020, support, as appropriate, developing countries to enhance institutional, national, administrative and managerial capacities, in order to increase the effectiveness and sustainability of international and national financial flows for biodiversity 20