WWF Belgium and The Shift announce formation of the Belgian Alliance for Climate Action

The Belgian chapter of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the environmental non-profit organisation The Shift have announced the creation of the Belgian Alliance for Climate Action.

Some 53 organisations have already joined the Alliance, pledging to align their activities with the Paris Agreement's objectives of limiting the global temperature rise to below 2°C and continuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. These include Alpro, Belfius, Bpost, Carrefour, Danone, Ikea, KU Leuven University and Triodos.

The Belgian Alliance for Climate Action is a platform for Belgian organisations that want to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, increase their climate ambitions and base their climate goals on science-based targets (SBT), say The Shift and WWF Belgium.

All organisations, regardless of size or industry, can join the Alliance. It brings together organisations that have already defined science-based targets and are willing to share their experience, as well as organisations that want to set climate goals and seek advice and inspiration from others who are further along their path.

“Through the Belgian Alliance for Climate Action, we want to encourage organisations to set ambitious climate targets,” said Marie Delvaulx, director of The Shift. “As a Belgian sustainable development network, we welcome a wide variety of experts.”

“We believe that partnership and exchange between organizations are the keys to success in achieving these climate goals,” she added.

According to WWF Belgium director-general Antoine Lebrun, “many organisations want to take responsibility and be part of a sustainable future.”

The Alliance was launched at the Danone production site in Rotselaar, in the presence of Queen Mathilde, ambassador for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. “We must not let the Covid-19 crisis distract us from the long-term goals we have set for ourselves,” the Queen said. “We need to rebuild in a sustainable way.”

The signatory members of the Belgian Alliance for Climate Action are committed to initiating the SBT process within a year of signing up. Once this step is taken, they have two years to have their goals validated, say WWF Belgium and The Shift.