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Netherlands vs Belgium

33 metrics with data for both countries. The solid line is Netherlands; the dashed grey line is Belgium.

Country A · Netherlands
Country B · Belgium

Climate

CO2 emissions

Netherlands: 114.8 Mt CO2/year · 2024Belgium: 85.5 Mt CO2/year · 2024
01002001850190019502000Belgiumhigh 1979

Carbon dioxide released each year from burning fossil fuels and industry. The main driver of global warming. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

CO2 emissions per person

Netherlands: 6.30 t CO2/person/year · 2024Belgium: 7.28 t CO2/person/year · 2024
0510151850190019502000Belgiumhigh 1979

Each person's share of their country's yearly CO2 emissions. A fairer way to compare countries of very different sizes. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

Temperature anomaly

Netherlands: 0.81 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025Belgium: 0.98 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025
-2-10119401960198020002020Belgiumhigh 2024low 1963

How much warmer or cooler a country's year was compared with its 1991-2020 average. Watch the map turn red as you move the slider towards today. Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5) via Our World in Data

Methane emissions

Netherlands: 19.1 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Belgium: 11.9 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
020401850190019502000Belgiumhigh 1987

Methane traps around 80 times more heat than CO2 over 20 years. It comes mainly from livestock, rice, landfill and leaky fossil fuel infrastructure. Global Carbon Project / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

All greenhouse gases

Netherlands: 147.2 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Belgium: 107.9 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
01002001850190019502000Belgiumhigh 1979low 1851

Every warming gas combined: CO2, methane and nitrous oxide, expressed as CO2-equivalents. Jones et al. / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

Nitrous oxide emissions

Netherlands: 8.98 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Belgium: 8.38 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
010201850190019502000Belgiumhigh 1979

N2O is nearly 300 times more warming than CO2 and comes mostly from fertilised farmland and livestock. Jones et al. / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

Consumption-based CO2

Netherlands: 150.1 Mt CO2/year · 2023Belgium: 196.6 Mt CO2/year · 2023
01002001990200020102020Belgiumhigh 2006low 2001

CO2 counted where goods are used rather than where they are made. Compare with production emissions to see who imports their footprint. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

Aviation emissions per person

Netherlands: 501.3 kg CO2/person/year · 2024Belgium: 279.5 kg CO2/person/year · 2024
0200400600201420162018202020222024Belgium

Each person's share of the CO2 from flights taking off in their country, including passengers and freight. ICCT / Graver et al. via Our World in Data

Energy

Renewable energy share

Netherlands: 18.1 % of primary energy · 2024Belgium: 11.5 % of primary energy · 2024
051015197019801990200020102020Belgium

The slice of a country's energy that comes from renewables such as wind, solar and hydro. Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data

Fossil fuel share

Netherlands: 80.9 % of primary energy · 2024Belgium: 76.6 % of primary energy · 2024
050100197019801990200020102020Belgium

The slice of a country's energy still coming from coal, oil and gas. The number the world is trying to shrink. Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data

Energy use per person

Netherlands: 50,824 kWh/person/year · 2024Belgium: 54,871 kWh/person/year · 2024
020k40k60k197019801990200020102020Belgiumhigh 2010

How much energy each person uses in a year, across electricity, transport, heating and industry. Energy Institute / Ember via Our World in Data

Solar electricity

Netherlands: 21.1 % of electricity · 2025Belgium: 14.3 % of electricity · 2025
010201990200020102020Belgium

The share of a country's electricity generated from solar panels. The fastest-growing energy source in history. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Wind electricity

Netherlands: 25.0 % of electricity · 2025Belgium: 18.8 % of electricity · 2025
010201990200020102020Belgiumhigh 2024

The share of a country's electricity generated from wind turbines, onshore and offshore. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Coal electricity

Netherlands: 7.08 % of electricity · 2025Belgium: 0.00 % of electricity · 2025
01020301990200020102020Belgiumhigh 2015low 2024

The share of electricity still generated by burning coal, the most polluting fuel. The number that must reach zero first. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Electric car sales

Netherlands: 58.0 % of new cars · 2025Belgium: 44.0 % of new cars · 2025
02040602010201520202025Belgium

The share of newly sold cars that are electric. Norway crossed 90% in the early 2020s; most of the world is following. International Energy Agency via Our World in Data

Oil electricity

Netherlands: 3.88 % of electricity · 2025Belgium: 6.45 % of electricity · 2025
02461990200020102020Belgiumhigh 1991low 2023

The share of a country's electricity generated by burning oil. Rare on big grids, still common on islands. Ember via Our World in Data

Gas electricity

Netherlands: 34.9 % of electricity · 2025Belgium: 21.5 % of electricity · 2025
02040601990200020102020Belgiumhigh 2010

The share of a country's electricity generated from natural gas, the least polluting fossil fuel but still a fossil fuel. Ember via Our World in Data

Land & Life

Tree cover loss

Netherlands: 1,480 ha/year · 2024Belgium: 6,066 ha/year · 2024
05k10k2005201020152020Belgiumhigh 2010low 2003

Forest area lost each year to fire, logging, farming and storms. Not all loss is permanent deforestation, but the trend matters. Global Forest Watch (Hansen/UMD) via Our World in Data

Forest area

Netherlands: 11.0 % of land · 2025Belgium: 22.0 % of land · 2025
010201990200020102020Belgiumhigh 2010

How much of a country's land is covered by forest. FAO via Our World in Data

Deaths from natural disasters

Netherlands: 0.00 deaths/year · 2021Belgium: 43.1 deaths/year · 2021
0204020002005201020152020Belgiumhigh 2007

People killed by floods, storms, droughts, heatwaves, earthquakes and other disasters each year. Single events dominate single years. IHME Global Burden of Disease via Our World in Data

Red List Index

Netherlands: 0.91 index (1 = species safe) · 2024Belgium: 0.98 index (1 = species safe) · 2024
00.51200020102020Belgiumlow 2019

Tracks extinction risk across all assessed species. 1 means no species at risk; falling values mean wildlife sliding towards extinction. IUCN / SDG 15.5.1 via Our World in Data

Protected land

Netherlands: 22.9 % of land area · 2024Belgium: 16.3 % of land area · 2024
01020201420162018202020222024Belgium

The share of a country's land under legal protection for nature. The global 30x30 target aims for 30% by 2030. World Bank / UNEP-WCMC via Our World in Data

Meat supply per person

Netherlands: 71.6 kg/person/year · 2023Belgium: 60.0 kg/person/year · 2023
050100198020002020Belgiumhigh 1993

Meat available for consumption per person. Livestock drives around 15% of global emissions and most deforestation. FAO via Our World in Data

Nitrogen fertiliser use

Netherlands: 90.6 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023Belgium: 120.4 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023
0100200198020002020Belgiumhigh 1984low 2022

Nitrogen applied per hectare of cropland. It feeds half the world, but runoff chokes rivers and coastal seas. FAO via Our World in Data

Marine protected areas

Netherlands: 33.6 % of territorial waters · 2024Belgium: 38.3 % of territorial waters · 2024
02040201420162018202020222024Belgium

How much of a country's coastal waters are protected for nature. The global goal is 30% by 2030. UNEP-WCMC via Our World in Data

Urban population

Netherlands: 95.9 % living in cities · 2025Belgium: 87.7 % living in cities · 2025
0501001960198020002020Belgium

The share of people living in towns and cities. Urbanisation shapes energy use, land use and how people experience climate change. UN World Urbanization Prospects via Our World in Data

Water

Water stress

Netherlands: 16.7 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022Belgium: 51.9 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022
05020002005201020152020Belgiumhigh 2005low 2017

How much of a country's renewable freshwater is withdrawn each year. Above 25% counts as stressed; above 100% means drawing down reserves. FAO AQUASTAT (SDG 6.4.2) via Our World in Data

Renewable water per person

Netherlands: 621.4 m³/person/year · 2022Belgium: 1,027 m³/person/year · 2022
05001k198020002020Belgium

Each person's share of the country's renewable freshwater. Below 1,700 m³ is water stress; below 1,000 m³ is scarcity. FAO AQUASTAT via Our World in Data

Safely managed drinking water

Netherlands: 100.0 % of population · 2024Belgium: 99.5 % of population · 2024
05010020002005201020152020Belgium

The share of people with safe drinking water at home, available when needed and free from contamination. WHO/UNICEF JMP via Our World in Data

Annual precipitation

Netherlands: 709.4 mm/year · 2025Belgium: 761.5 mm/year · 2025
05001k19401960198020002020Belgiumhigh 1998low 1959

Total rain and snow that fell over a country in a year, averaged across its land area. Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5) via Our World in Data

Rainfall anomaly

Netherlands: -15.4 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025Belgium: -13.5 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025
-200204019401960198020002020Belgiumhigh 1998low 1959

How much wetter (teal) or drier (brown) a country's year was compared with its 1961-1990 average. A simple drought and deluge signal. Derived from Copernicus ERA5 precipitation via Our World in Data

Safely managed sanitation

Netherlands: 97.5 % of population · 2024Belgium: 94.9 % of population · 2024
05010020002005201020152020Belgium

The share of people whose toilet waste is safely treated rather than left to contaminate water and soil. WHO/UNICEF JMP via Our World in Data

Pollution

Air pollution (PM2.5)

Netherlands: 9.60 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024Belgium: 9.30 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024
05101520002005201020152020Belgiumhigh 2003low 2023

Average exposure to fine particles small enough to enter the bloodstream. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³. World Bank / van Donkelaar et al. via Our World in Data