Deforestation embedded in trade in Belgium
Belgium: Deforestation embedded in trade was 7,434 hectares in 2023. ▼ Falling
Deforestation embedded in trade in Belgium, 2005–2023
Source: Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2023, deforestation embedded in trade in Belgium stood at 7,434 hectares. That is the lowest value across all 19 years on record.
That represents a change of down 17.9% on the previous year and down 31.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, deforestation embedded in trade in Belgium peaked at 16,637 hectares in 2008 and was at its lowest, 7,434 hectares, in 2023.
Belgium ranks 26th of 178 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 19 years of available data.
Deforestation embedded in trade in Belgium, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 15,472 hectares | — |
| 2006 | 14,910 hectares | -3.6% |
| 2007 | 15,158 hectares | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 16,637 hectares | +9.8% |
| 2009 | 11,995 hectares | -27.9% |
| 2010 | 15,979 hectares | +33.2% |
| 2011 | 14,600 hectares | -8.6% |
| 2012 | 13,335 hectares | -8.7% |
| 2013 | 10,839 hectares | -18.7% |
| 2014 | 12,239 hectares | +12.9% |
| 2015 | 13,111 hectares | +7.1% |
| 2016 | 15,754 hectares | +20.2% |
| 2017 | 15,847 hectares | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 15,228 hectares | -3.9% |
| 2019 | 14,261 hectares | -6.3% |
| 2020 | 10,976 hectares | -23.0% |
| 2021 | 10,907 hectares | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 9,060 hectares | -16.9% |
| 2023 | 7,434 hectares | -17.9% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 7,434 hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 2,387 hectares, 3.1× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 7,434 hectares is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 2,329 hectares, 3.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 14,834 hectares | 11,995 hectares | 16,637 hectares | 5 |
| 2010s | 14,119 hectares | 10,839 hectares | 15,979 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 9,594 hectares | 7,434 hectares | 10,976 hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 23 Bangladesh 8,154 hectares compare
- 24 Burkina Faso 8,085 hectares compare
- 25 Pakistan 7,940 hectares compare
- 27 Poland 7,270 hectares compare
- 28 Chile 6,292 hectares compare
- 29 South Africa 6,288 hectares compare
More environment data for Belgium
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -5.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.574 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.19 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.5577 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 0.0605 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is deforestation embedded in trade in Belgium?
- Deforestation embedded in trade in Belgium was 7,434 hectares in 2023, according to Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest deforestation embedded in trade recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 16,637 hectares in 2008.
- What is the lowest deforestation embedded in trade recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 7,434 hectares in 2023.
- How does Belgium rank for deforestation embedded in trade?
- Belgium ranks 26th out of 178 countries with data for 2023.
- Is deforestation embedded in trade rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Deforestation embedded in trade. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Deforestation driven by imported goods minus exported goods from agriculture and forest plantations. Net importers of deforestation are countries who contribute to net deforestation in other countries – the deforestation that they cause in other countries is given as a positive value.