AGP Executive Report

Climate Extremes: Copernicus and WMO data show August 2026 tied July 2023 as the world’s joint-hottest month on record, with global temperatures about 1.65°C above the 19th century and record sea-surface warmth, underlining how fossil-fuel-driven warming fuels disasters. Heat Impacts in Cities: A Lancet study finds heat-related deaths have surged across European cities, especially in southern Europe, while wildfire smoke exposure days are also rising. Belgium Energy Transition: Elia Transmission Belgium secured a €1bn EIB green credit facility for the second phase of the Princess Elisabeth artificial energy island, meant to connect offshore wind to the grid and boost interconnection. AgriTech & Resilience: Nordic Foodtech VC, backed by the EIF, plans up to €30m for Fund II to support early-stage AgriTech and research for more sustainable, resilient food systems, including a Belgian crop-engineering investment. Right to Repair: The EU’s Right to Repair rules are live, but audits and consumer checks say spare parts and repair info are still hard to access and often overpriced.

Agrivoltaics Push: India’s energy minister Pralhad Joshi says farmers can earn from crops and clean power on the same land, with a new PM-KUSUM agrivoltaics component aimed at small farmers and keeping land ownership with them. Climate-Smart Farming: Research from drought-prone Ethiopia finds simple soil-and-water practices (like bunds and residue mulching) can cut soil loss sharply and boost wheat yields by over 27%. EU Health & Climate: The EU is preparing for more heatwaves, wildfires and expanding mosquito/tick-borne disease risks, with HERA highlighted as part of the response. Belgian Food Industry: Clarebout Potatoes proposes closing its Moeskroen 1 frozen-potato plant, potentially affecting up to 392 jobs, citing pressure in the market. Sustainable Feed Progress: FEFAC reports progress under its Feed Sustainability Charter 2030 as the EU moves forward on its Protein Plan and Livestock Strategy. Environment at Sea: A shipping coalition warns that geopolitical tensions and the shadow fleet are undermining freedom of navigation and raising costs. Biodiversity & Conservation: Rwanda’s Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony welcomed 22 new baby gorillas, stressing community-linked conservation. Animal Welfare: South Africa’s police dog K9 Sky (a Belgian Malinois) was euthanised after severe injuries linked to months of confinement.

Energy Infrastructure: The EIB approved a €1bn green credit facility for Elia’s Princess Elisabeth Energy Island phase 2, backing the 220kV substation, switchgear, transformers and six 220kV AC cable links to connect Belgium’s offshore wind hub to the mainland and support a future UK interconnector. Climate & Health: New data shows greenhouse gas emissions in the Netherlands rose slightly in Q2 2026 (+0.6%), with lower mobility emissions offset by higher electricity-sector emissions. Biodiversity & Conservation: Rwanda’s Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony welcomed 22 new mountain gorillas, highlighting recovery from about 250 in the early 1980s to over 1,000 today. Food & Farming Footprints: The EU-funded SUSTAINCrop project will build a digital tool to measure crop environmental impacts for industrial biomaterials, with partners including Belgium. Belgium Jobs Risk: Clarebout Potatoes started consultation on a possible progressive closure of its Mouscron 1 frozen-potato plant, citing capacity above demand and warning up to 392 workers could be affected. Urban Heat Adaptation: A European Prize for Urban Public Space shortlist spotlights projects turning car infrastructure into splash pools, green havens and gardens to help cities cope with climate-driven heat.

Belgium’s clean power push: Elia secured a €1bn green credit facility from the European Investment Bank for Princess Elisabeth Energy Island, funding key grid infrastructure to connect offshore wind to Belgium’s mainland. Sustainable packaging shift: Mondelēz is replacing rigid PET cookie trays with FSC-certified paper trays across 115+ products in Europe, cutting about 2,200 tons of virgin plastic annually. Climate integrity fight: Industry groups and some NGOs are lobbying to weaken UN rules on carbon credits, arguing against stronger protections against reversal risks from fire, drought and logging. Biodiversity & land stewardship: A study from Ecuador’s Amazon finds Indigenous territories without formal conservation contracts can maintain forest conditions as well as protected areas. Local environment angle: Belgium’s inland waterways carried 40.5 million tonnes in Q1 2026, with containerised barge freight rising 9.3% quarter-on-quarter. Transport greener option: Brussels Airport reconnected to Europe’s high-speed rail network, aiming to offer more sustainable travel links.

Right to Repair push: A new EU “Right to Repair” push targets the real blocker—prices—after analysis found France’s repair rate at 18% and Belgium’s at 15%, with many broken appliances simply replaced because fixing costs too much. Deforestation fight: Chocolate maker Mondelez (Toblerone) is lobbying in Brussels to weaken the EU deforestation rules (EUDR), including meetings with a Trump ally, while critics say it doesn’t clearly disclose how much cocoa is deforestation-free. Heat and storms: Cooler weather is moving in as heatwave alerts ease in southern France, but northern areas face strong winds up to around 100 km/h and storms in the south—rain reaching toward the Belgian border. Biodiversity under climate pressure: Belgian researchers quantify how climate change is already reshaping European bumblebee habitat, cutting suitability by 5% on average and up to 19% locally. Energy infrastructure: The EIB approved a €1bn credit for Elia’s Princess Elisabeth offshore grid island, aimed at connecting future wind farms and strengthening Belgium’s energy security. Repairing the future of power: Universal Electronics and Eneco are rolling out a next-gen smart thermostat solution in Belgium/region markets, built around energy-saving intelligence and utility integration.

Offshore Wind Finance: The European Investment Bank approved a €1bn credit facility for Elia’s Princess Elisabeth Island project in the North Sea, a key offshore grid link meant to unlock the next wave of Belgian wind capacity. Heat & Health: New reporting highlights how extreme summer heat is hitting Belgium hard, with thousands of excess deaths recorded across the country and Brussels. Urban Air Pollution Tech: An EU-funded project with Belgian partners is building AI-powered 3D “digital twins” to show street-level air pollution in real time, aiming to help cities target traffic and pollution controls. Recycling Behaviour: A study across Belgium, France, Germany and Sweden finds people are increasingly separating Bag-in-Box packaging components correctly for recycling when sorting is made intuitive. EV Battery Trust: AVILOO expanded its battery warranty to more European markets, including Belgium, to boost confidence in used EV battery health. Biodiversity/Species Risk: Authorities are responding to the first recorded nest of invasive Asian hornets in Somerset, raising concerns about spread. Food Safety: Salmonella cases are rising across Europe, with Belgium mentioned in the latest figures and outbreak context. Belgium & Governance: Belgium’s football federation says it will not back FIFA chief Gianni Infantino without answers on the Balogun red-card handling and broader governance issues.

Heat & Health: Sciensano reports over 200 excess deaths in Brussels and more than 2,500 across Belgium tied to this summer’s three heatwaves, with the deadliest day on 27 June. Urban Air Quality Tech: An EU-funded project (MODELAIR) is using AI “digital twins” and real-time street-level modelling to help Belgian and other cities tackle highly local air pollution patterns. Green Cities & Water: Brussels plans its first permanent outdoor swimming pool on the former Anderlecht abattoir site, aiming for opening by 2030. Biodiversity & Conservation Trust: Researchers argue conservation rumours in the Congo Basin can shape attitudes and must be treated as more than misinformation. Ports & Trade: New data ranks Rotterdam as the EU’s busiest port, with Antwerp-Bruges second—highlighting Belgium’s role in seaborne freight. Sustainability in Aviation: IATA will hold a World Sustainability Symposium in Brussels on 13-14 October, focused on cutting aviation emissions to net zero by 2050. Belgium & FIFA Governance: Belgium withholds support for Gianni Infantino’s re-election over the Folarin Balogun red-card handling and broader transparency concerns.

Climate & Health: Europe’s “summer from hell” is easing, but scientists say the pattern of heat, drought, wildfires and flash floods is becoming far more likely—France, the UK and Belgium all logged record-hot summers, with deadly impacts already linked to extreme heat. Extreme Weather in Belgium & Beyond: A Belgian-linked sports moment shows the human cost of heat: Vuelta stage 15 was shortened after an extreme-weather protocol, after riders faced sweltering temperatures. Energy Demand: Heat waves are driving a surge in air-conditioner demand across Europe, raising concerns about higher electricity use as cooling becomes more “necessary” than optional. Wildfire Response: Indonesia is using water bombing to help contain wildfires near its new capital Nusantara, aiming to cool areas after ground crews act. Sustainability Policy: IATA’s 4th World Sustainability Symposium heads to Brussels in October, focusing on how aviation can scale net-zero solutions by 2050. Local Green Education: Dendermonde’s Atheneum opens a greener school playground after renovation. Biodiversity & Conservation: Rwanda’s new gorillas get names tied to conservation, while conservation efforts continue to protect endangered mountain gorillas.

Heat & wildfire risk: A Budapest-based writer warns that Europe’s heat is now “a different climate,” linking extreme temperatures to deadly heat stress and fast-moving fires that force evacuations. Climate resilience in Belgium: Dendermonde’s Atheneum has reopened a renovated, greener playground with less asphalt, more vegetation and better rainwater handling to cool the schoolyard and support biodiversity. Weather disruption in Belgium: Sint‑Niklaas cancelled the morning balloon launch window at its Vredefeesten Peace Festival due to excessive wind, with organisers hoping for improved conditions later. Wildfire containment abroad: Indonesia carried out water bombing near Nusantara’s new capital to cool and stop fires spreading, as haze from Sumatra and Borneo drifts across the region. EU & environment-adjacent policy: The EU Enlargement Commissioner cancelled a Serbia visit over the “glorification” of Ratko Mladić, underscoring values tied to EU membership. Belgium in global talks: Belgium’s PM Bart De Wever used an India-EU trade dialogue in Mumbai to criticise “arbitrary” tariff swings and push for open markets.

Greener Schoolyards in Dendermonde: The Atheneum of Dendermonde has reopened a renovated, “much greener” playground after turning a harder surface into a nature-rich space with more vegetation, aiming to cool the area, manage rainwater, boost biodiversity, and support kids’ wellbeing. Wind Cancels Balloon Flights in Sint‑Niklaas: Excessive winds grounded hot-air balloons at the Grote Markt during the Vredefeesten Peace Festival, with organisers warning this kind of weather-driven disruption is becoming a trend. Wildfire Fight via Water Bombing in Indonesia: Authorities used water bombing to help contain fast-spreading wildfires near Nusantara, the planned new capital in Borneo, as haze and fires threaten the region. Urban Heat & Trees: A report highlights how extreme heat is pushing more tree planting across Europe, with olive-tree shipments and urban greening framed as a practical cooling and resilience strategy. Climate Extremes in Belgium: Belgium is reported to have recorded nearly 3,000 excess deaths linked to 2026 heatwaves, underlining the human cost of hotter summers.

Heat & wildfire pressure on Europe: Satellite data show over 5.4 million stremmata burned in the EU in more than 1,000 fires since mid-June, with the worst destruction concentrated in July; Copernicus also flags unusual fire-danger conditions for early September. Belgium heat impacts: Belgium’s health institute reports nearly 3,000 excess deaths during the 2026 summer heatwaves, underlining how extreme weather is turning into a public-health crisis. Urban greening for hotter cities: A new report highlights how olive-tree nurseries and the wider tree-services market are booming as heatwaves push cities and households to plant more canopy—aiming for cooling and better air quality. Privacy risk for travellers (including military): The travel app Polarsteps is linked to location tracking that could expose users’ routines and even likely home addresses, raising concerns for safety and stalking. Trade & logistics push (India-EU): Belgian PM Bart De Wever in Mumbai stressed that the India-EU free-trade deal will only translate into real growth if logistics—especially the Port of Antwerp-Bruges—can move temperature-sensitive goods efficiently.

Wildfire Crisis in Europe: Official EU data says over 1,000 wildfires have burned about 540,000 hectares since mid-June, with heatwaves linked to climate change driving drought, evacuations and more than 30,000 premature deaths; even Belgium and Scotland saw dangerous blazes. Belgium Heat Impacts: Belgium recorded nearly 3,000 excess deaths during summer heatwaves, underlining how extreme temperatures are becoming a direct public health issue. EU Climate & Research Funding: The EU announced €105.5 million to support 29 doctoral and postdoctoral research programmes, while a separate EU push backs critical minerals recycling through CIRCUIT4EU. Belgian Policy & Industry Link: Belgian PM Bart De Wever used his India visit to stress logistics and sustainability-linked trade opportunities after the India-EU FTA, including Antwerp-Bruges as a gateway for temperature-sensitive goods. Circular Materials in Belgium: A Belgian “watermark trial” targets food-grade recycled PP, pointing to more practical recycling pathways. Energy Security Shock: Germany’s power grid sabotage incidents are being investigated, with suspected attacks near substations raising alarm ahead of elections.

Heatwave Toll in Belgium: Sciensano reports 2,935 excess deaths from three heatwaves between mid-June and mid-August 2026, with the deadliest stretch (June 18–July 3) driving most of the spike. Heatwave Toll in France: France says summer 2026 was the hottest since records began in 1900, with about 7,000 excess deaths as of late July and wildfires worsening the impact. Recycling Breakthrough for Food-Grade Plastics: Belgium is testing invisible digital watermarks to sort flexible food-contact polypropylene from non-food material via normal household collection, aiming to support future recycled-content rules. Circular Electronics Push: EU launches CIRCUIT4EU under Horizon Europe to recover critical raw materials from printed circuit boards, magnets and components, targeting pilots in products like laptops and e-scooters. Food Factory Efficiency with AI: Pringles claims an AI “digital twin” boosted capacity by 10% at its Kutno plant while cutting waste and improving energy use. Belgium–India Green & Clean-Energy Links: Belgium and India expand cooperation on clean energy, critical minerals and semiconductors, with renewable-energy and investment fast-track plans highlighted.

Heat & Health: Belgium’s public health institute Sciensano reports nearly 3,000 excess deaths during this summer’s heatwaves, with the deadliest day on 27 June (641 deaths) and impacts seen even among people under 65, linked to prolonged extreme temperatures and higher ozone pollution. Climate Signals in Europe: France also logged its hottest summer ever in 2026, with 53 days of heatwave conditions, major drought and wildfires, and thousands of excess deaths—another warning that extreme heat is becoming more frequent. El Niño Watch: The WMO warns a strong El Niño is likely to peak late 2026 and persist into early 2027, raising risks of disruptive rainfall and temperature swings worldwide. Belgium–India Clean Energy Deal: Belgium and India signed an agreement to deepen renewable energy cooperation, targeting green hydrogen, offshore wind and critical mineral recycling, as both sides push decarbonisation and cleaner tech supply chains. Belgium–India Defence (non-environment): Talks also covered defence attachés and co-production, but the climate angle remains the clean-energy MoU.

Heatwave Toll: Belgium logged 2,935 excess deaths from June 18 to Aug 16, with the worst spike (2,035 extra deaths) during June 18–July 3, according to Sciensano. Wildfire Climate Link: A new analysis warns that burning forests don’t just destroy habitats—they also release stored carbon and can weaken future carbon absorption, making Europe’s climate fight harder. Public Health & Climate Risk: The heatwave figures land as Europe faces more frequent, longer extreme-heat periods tied to climate change. Digital Safety for Kids: Romania’s First Lady and Moldova’s president attended a WHO-backed conference on online safety and how digital environments affect children’s mental health, with Belgian experts among speakers. Wildlife Protection: Emirates SkyCargo helped deliver specialist Belgian Malinois K9s to Zimbabwe for anti-poaching work, with 185+ hours of training and scent-tracking exercises. Procurement Rules: European construction and infrastructure groups urged tougher EU rules on third-country bidders, pushing for quality-based scoring and life-cycle cost checks.

Alpine Climate Reality Check: King Philippe and Queen Mathilde joined German-speaking leaders for a high-altitude visit to Austria’s Stubai Glacier, spotlighting how climate change is reshaping the Alps. Circular Packaging in Belgium: PepsiCo, Mondelēz and pladis are testing digital watermarks on flexible food packaging via Belgium’s household recycling system, aiming to improve sorting and boost recycling quality. Pesticide Access Bottleneck: A new push highlights how Europe’s slow approval of biological crop protection leaves farmers short of sustainable tools, raising costs and risks for food security. EU Climate Policy vs Energy Security: An EU Commission official argues climate policy must stay on track because it’s tied to energy resilience and affordability, not just emissions. Belgium Industry Transition: Heylen Warehouses is taking over the former Audi Brussels plant to redevelop it as a mixed business park, targeting thousands of jobs while keeping industrial activity. Energy Investment: Aukera closed a €460m structured credit facility to scale renewable generation and battery storage projects across Belgium and other European markets. Wildlife & Care: A Belgian-linked story spotlights K9 search teams trained to locate people with dementia who wander.