The Regional Governments are carrying out a number activities to manage land resources sustainably, including formulating appropriate policies, improving information systems, public awareness campaigns, and pilot projects.

The evolutionary options of Regional policies concern the management of land resources in the following way ;

- define territorial planning zones and infrastructural zones and defining their relations

- define town and village planning, in order to reinforce the densification of urban areas, in order to obtain more urban and rural specificity

- organize parsimonious management of soil and natural resources while allowing for a harmonious life style development

- propose the localization of transport infrastructure, a hierarchy of transport modes and the implementation of complementarity between them.

There is not one definition of forest for Belgium as a whole at the Federal level. Forestry is a fully regionalised matter wich means that the three Regions of the country are politically responsable for forestry affairs. Forests in general are considered to be surfaces covered with trees which function as ecosystems and that can fulfill several functions (wood production, recreation, nature conservation, landscape, soil- and/or water protection, shelter functions,...). However, the simple alignment of trees, orchards and gardens are not considered as forests.

The forest area in the Brussels Capital City Region has been classified as a forest zone. Forests can have in the land use management programmes several protected statuses (reserve, nature area, forest area). In addition to these zoning plans forests can have a juridical status such as protected landscape, forest reserve or nature reserve. Next to these regulations in the Walloon Region there is a working definition for forests that is used for the forest inventories according to the international agreed definitions. In the Flemish Region there is a juridical definition as well.

The primary obstacle to reforestation and afforestation efforts are the attitude of agriculturalists, limited available land areas and limited financial rentability of forest estates. This is aggravated by the long-term nature of forest investments, high maintenance charges, inappropiate taxation structures, fragmentation of forests and silviculture practices not always adapted to the site.

Forest inventories have been prepared for the three Regions, carried out annually for the Brussels Capital City Region, and about every ten years for the Flemish and Walloon Regions. Wallonia's forest inventory is presently being updated. The first overall Flemish forest inventory programme started in 1996.

Wallonia's forests do not suffer significantly from deforestation. In fact, the forest cover has increased from 300,000 hectares to 500,000 hectares over the past 150 years. Although the Flemish Region's forests also have shown a continual increase in area, particular attention is given to afforestation and forest protection in the urban areas and around historically old forests. Flanders still remains a Region with low forest cover (about 8%).

Since UNCED, (Rio, June 1992) a number of forest-related activities have been fully addressed by the Regional Governments, including promoting extension services, public awareness campaings, research projects, geographical information systems, remote-sensing, national plans, multiple roles of forests, land classification and EIA's.

The adoption of EU regulation on forestry measures on agricultural land is expected to encourage more agricultural land to be forested.

International Convention to Combat Desertification in Countries Experiencing Drought and/or Desertification

Particularly in Africa

Although Belgium wasn't able to sign the Convention before the deadline, the process of accession is well underway. Deposition of the instruments of accession is expected in the first semester of 1997, in order to participate in the First Conference of the Parties as a Party to the Convention.

As a reminder

The pursuit of sustainable agriculture is the basis for agricultural policy for Belgium. Particular attention is given to integrating the linkage between environnement and agriculture into economic and political objectives. To this end, a number of activities have been implemented, including regulation (for exemple the approval of phytopharmaceuticals), agronomic research, training and financial assistance.

The European Commission approved in 1994 an agri/environmental programme which contains Federal and Regional measures. The Federal measures consist in assistance for organic farming and for demonstration projects on reduced use of fertilizer and pesticide in agriculture and on organic farming. Regulations were taken to enforce the evolution towards integrated pest management in apple and pear production. In the Flemish Region new regulations entered into force in 1995 to encourage investments in agricultural production with sound environmental practices. In 1996 the new regulation on fertilizer use is being implemented. Flanders at this moment is preparing a code of good agricultural practices which consider sustainability to be one of the key elements of a sound and responsable agriculture. The Walloon Governement is developing an Environmental Plan for Sustainable Development, which includes sustainable agriculture.

Many of the recommendations of Agenda 21 for activities promoting sustainable agriculture have been or are being implemented. These include measures which take account of demographic trends, studies on land taxation structures, linkage with international trade and agricultural production, strengthening farmers' rights, developing databases and developing policy to rehabilitate degraded lands, among others. These are being achieved by legislative and regulatory reforms, pilot projects, training and the development of national plans.

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) signed in 1992, ratified on 22 November 1996, Contracting Party on 20 February 1997.
First national report to be submitted not later than 1st January 1998

Additional comments relevant to this chapter

The decline of animal diversity is due primarily to human activity, especially land-use, leading to natural habitat destruction. Pollution and the introduction of exotic plant species are also threats to maintaining animal diversity. Over-exploitation appears to play a minor role but the introduction of exotic animal species is a problem.

Natural habitat desctruction and pollution are the primary causes for the loss of plant diversity in Belgium. The introduction of exotic plant species is also considered a threat. The introduction of exotic animal species and over-exploitation are considered minor to the loss of plant diversity.

Scientific studies demonstrate that from 1950 onwards certain invertebrate groups showed a significant and sometimes dramatic decline in populations and in numbers of species. The phenomenon was particularly well documented for vertebrates, diurnal butterflies, some families of beetles and wasps, dragonflies and damselflies, terrestrial snails and spiders. A similar trend exists for plants, fungi and lichens. On the other hand, there are many scientific papers dealing with recently introduced invertebrate species, some of which are invasive species e.g. wasps and other insects, terrestrial slugs, crustaceans, etc.

A number of measures are undertaken for the in-situ conservation (and restoration) of ecosystems and their components and ex-situ conservation of biological and genetic resources. At the Regional level, the in-situ conservation of ecosystems is mainly assured by the creation and management of nature reserves. These were and are being developed by the three Regional Government and by private organizations as well. Each year, new areas are designated as nature reserves or existing ones are enlarged. A complementary nature conservation policy has also been developed outside reserves in order to notably maintain or restore the ecological corridors. In the Flemish Region efforts are being made to create a Green Main Structure, that can be integrated in the development of an Pan-European Ecological Network. This Flemish Structure is designed as a coherent network. It will be built from core areas, rich in biodiversity, corridors or steppings stones and areas where nature conservation, forestry and agriculture are combined in a sustainable way. In the Walloon Region, an ecological network has been set up as well as a partnership for managing the rural environment. The Brussels Capital Region developed a bio-indicator information network based on birds, amphibians, reptiles, higher plants and mosses.

A number of institutions play an important role in the ex-situ conservation of biological and genetic resources. Conservation is maintained in botanical and zoological gardens. As regards to micro-organisms, four collections form the basis of an important network coordinated by the Federal Office for Scientific, Technical and Cultural Affairs.

The Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, has been designated as the CBD-National Focal Point. This Focal Point has launched in October 1996 a Belgian Clearing-House Mechanism on the Internet. The homepage address is :
http://www.kbinirsnb.be/bch-cbd/homepage.htm

The first part of the homepage deals with Belgium : on one hand, services given by the National Focal Point (e.g. addresses and competences, expertise, bibliography, collections); on the other hand, the ratification process and in future, step by step, the whole story of the Belgian implementation of the CBD. The second part presents a selection of useful hyperlinks.

The management of biotechnologies has been coordinated at the Regional and Federal levels by setting up and implementing an integrated biosafety regulatory framework. It also includes the implementation of the European Union's directives on the contained-use and the deliberate release of genetically-modified organisms (GMO's) in the environment. Indeed, not only the European provisions have been integrated but also all uses of human, animal and plant pathogens and the protection of biodiversity for when GMO's are used in the environment or placed on the market.

Extensive coordination with sectorial regulations on medicinal, food/feed and raw material products was carried out. The center of this coordination is the Advisory Biosafety Council, whose executive staff coordinates within the Service for Biosafety and Biotechnology (SBB), located in Brussels.

The Council is a collegium of representatives of the various competent authorities from Regional and Federal levels. The Council is sustained by ad hoc experts groups focusing on specific areas of biotechnology.

The SBB is a contact point for both internal and international scientific and regulatory interactions. Governmental experts of the SBB are national contacts for UNEP, OECD and the EU. The experts of the SBB are responsible for the risk assessment of all contained-use activities, on mandate of the Regional authorities. Occasionaly, the advice of the Biosafety Council is requested for sensitive matters such as gene therapy and recombinant viruses. The introduction of GMO's is presently being reviewed by the Biosafety Council, noteworthy the experimental GMO's tested in Europe and the GMO-based products submitted to the consent of the European Commission.

The SBB is a scientific center helping all scientists involved in recombinant DNA pathogen research to fulfil the regulations where applicable. It is also a center for biosafety documentation and archives. As information provider, the SBB is currently managing Internet services to the public and the users, on matters of local and international interest (http : //biosafety.ihe.be). Whereas contained-use activities are now fully controlled on basis of Regional regulations, some juridical acts must still be finalized for field testing and placing on the market of GMO's. All in all, a very flexible and speedy, users- and public-friendly regulatory interface has been developed.

Such a coordinated regulation fully complements the important investments and R&D networking management made by the Flemish Government. The Flemish biotechnology has a coherent structure from academic research up to patent technology and biotechnological financement mechanisms, based on R&D-industry networking, including technolgy assessment at its disposal. Noteworthy is the special emphasis laid on transgenic plants, diagnostics and gene therapies.

A similar management of biotechnologies is carried out in Wallonia around the genome research program, the recombinant vaccines, the bioremediation, the heteroprotein production and the bioluminescence technologies.

In Brussels, the same occurs for gene- and immuno-therapeutics, for GMP production of transplantable human cells and for gene therapy vectors intended for clinical research and therapies.

The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea

The precautionary approach is the leading principle upon which Belgium bases its commitments, and particularly in the international conferences on the protection of the North Sea. The dialogue between the Federal authorities and the Regional Governments has improved considerably because the contamination of the sea from land-based sources is the major factor and most of the related actions are responsibilities of the Belgian Regions.

Important activities to protect the oceans include, among others :

- the development of Best Environmental Practice (BEP) concerning dredging activities. This was approved by the OSPAR Commission in 1993;

- the development of Best Available Technology (BAT) to reduce polluting effluents from the textile industry in 1995. This work resulted in the approval by the OSPAR Commission in 1995 of a recommendation on BAT and in 1996 of a recommendation on emission limits for that sector;

- the establishment of an extensive aerial surveillance programme to monitor illegal discharges by ships, with further attention being paid to the follow-up, including lawsuits;

- the fulfillment of a programme for the reduction of inputs of 36 hazardous substances (metals, solvents, pesticides, dioxines) in the North Sea (50 % reduction between 1985-1995). The opportunity has been taken in this context to develop a comprehensive dataset of the emissions of these substances in the environment which is now considered as a basis for further decision-making processes;

- the establishment of a multi-year research programme on marine sciences related to the protection of the North Sea.

A number of sustainable development indicators pertaining to the coastal and marine environment are applied in Belgium (e.g. algae index; releases of nutrients, metals and POP's; contamination of biota; quality of bathing water).The indicators related to marine species have been developed and quantified by the European Union.

There are no Belgian vessels which fish the High Seas.

Framework of the water policy in Belgium

Water policy in Belgium follows the competences of the Flemish, Walloon and Brussels Regions. This leads to Regional differentiation in the field of legislation, administration and monitoring systems. European and international legislation in the various aspects of water policy remains however a common basis to all Regions.

Quality and monitoring of fresh water, groundwater and drinking water are based on Regional ministerial orders or decrees, which do implement EU-directives

a. Flanders

Water policy is an integrated part of the global environment policy of Flanders. The policy options are outlined in a Five Year Environment Policy Plan, called MINA. Every two years a State of the Environment Report is made, called MIRA. Each year an Environment Programme is issued. Especially for surface water General Water Treatment Programmes, called AWP, are being designed.

Drinking water supplies resort under the authority of the municipalities. However the larger part of drinking water is supplied by 5 major companies. Total drinking water consumption in Flanders amounts to 439 mio m3 per year (40 % from surface water, 40 % from ground water and 20 % from the Walloon Region).

b. Wallonia

The Walloon Environment Plan for Sustainable Development (PEDD) was passed on 9 March 1995 setting in particular the guidelines for a Water Action Programme. The PEDD also introduced the principle of the actual water price.

In the Walloon Region about 400 mio m3 of water are annually abstracted (320 mio m3 of ground water and 80 mio m3 of surface water) for supply to the drinking water distribution network. 242 mio m3 are distributed in Wallonia through 90 public companies. 148 mio m3 are supplied to the other two regions in Belgium.

The installed water treatment capacity amounts to 1,800,000 i.e. for a population of 3,200,000 inhabitants.

c. Brussels

One of the major objectives of the Brussels Region is the construction of adequate sewerage and waste water treatment facilities. The Region has to take care of the quality of small watercourses, e.g. a section of the river Senne, a sub-basin of the river Scheldt, in the framework of regional programmes and international commitments. Frequent local innundations reflect water quantity problems. This will be resolved by the construction of reservoirs.

The construction of the main water treatment plant for the northern part of the Region is foreseen by the year 2010 (1,3 mio i.e.). The plant for the Southern part of the Region (360,000 i.e.) is under construction.