Update of the carbon footprint estimation of Belgian consumption using updated French MRIO methodology

Details

Supervisors

Marichal, Xavier

Faculty

Louvain School of Management

Degree label

Master [120] : ingénieur de gestion, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

enThis thesis aims to estimate the average carbon footprint per capita in Belgium for the year 2019 using a macroeconomic input-output methodology inspired by the one recently developed in France by the SDES and INSEE. Leveraging the FIGARO database from Eurostat, this approach captures the direct and indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated by Belgian final consumption, both domestically and through imports. The results show that the total carbon footprint of Belgian consumption in 2019 was approximately 194.6 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e), or 17.02 tCO₂e per capita. A significant share, 65% of these emissions originated abroad, highlighting the country’s strong dependence on global value chains. Only 15% of emissions are directly visible to households, which may partly explain the difficulty in perceiving the real environmental impact of personal consumption. The carbon footprint was broken down into six major categories: equipment (23.6%), transport (23.2%), market services (20.3%), housing (18.2%), food (11.7%), and public services (2.3%). This detailed analysis allows for better targeting of emission reduction strategies. When compared to France (11.5 tCO₂e per capita in 2019), Belgium exhibits a considerably higher footprint. This difference can be explained by structural factors: a higher GDP per capita, greater reliance on imports, a less decarbonised electricity mix, and a colder climate requiring more heating. While the study demonstrates consistency with other estimates, some methodological limitations remain, such as the level of sectoral aggregation (64 branches) and the lack of integration with Belgian national accounts. Nonetheless, this thesis provides a solid and operational framework to monitor and analyse the environmental impacts of consumption in Belgium, and offers a valuable foundation for future longitudinal, regional, and socio-economic analyses to guide effective and equitable climate policies.