Belgium Biggest European Polluter: Study

Belgium biggest European polluter: study

BRUSSELS, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) — Belgium is the biggest polluter in Europe, according to findings of an environmental study by experts from the United States.

Belgium stands 39th on the 2006 environmental performance index of 133 countries compiled by a team of experts from two U.S. universities, Yale and Columbia, Belgian media reported on Thursday.

New Zealand tops the list as the cleanest country in the world, followed by Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic and then Britain.

The index is to be released at the World Economic Forum which opened in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday.

Belgium’s northern neighbor, the Netherlands, was ranked 27th. Both are small, densely populated industrial countries.

The water quality in Belgium is particularly disappointing, while the flora and fauna are also a cause for concern, according to the study.

Researchers say leading countries like New Zealand, Finland and Sweden all implement strict environmental protection measures and invest heavily in the environment.

Chad and Niger are at the bottom of the table.

Reacting to the results of the study, Belgian Environment Minister Bruno Tobback said problems do exist but the results should be put into perspective.

He said things had improved in comparison to last year, when Belgium stood 112th on the list.

A spokesman for Tobback said that a small, industrial country like Belgium cannot be compared to larger countries, such as France, with proportionally fewer heavy industrial cities.

The index ranks the countries on 16 indicators tracked in six policy categories, including air quality, water resources, biodiversity and habitat and sustainable energy.