Topic:
Country: Belgium
Delegate Name: Vivienne Grzelak
Delegate: Viv Grzelak
School: Williamston High School
Country: Belgium
Committee: WHO
Topic: Climate Change and Public Health
The effects of climate change have affected Belgium, but not in a big way. Climate change has messed with our water irrigation system in the Loam region of Belgium, one of our most agriculture heavy areas.
Another issue is extreme weather. Most of the year Belgium is very average when it comes to weather, mild winters and cool summers, but when extreme weather comes into Belgium it can be very bad for farms and for urbanized areas. The extreme weather has caused flooding in urbanized and rural areas in Belgium.
These issues are obviously a big problem that there’s a flooding situation in Belgium. Right now the flooding is fairly well contained, with it only affecting one region of the country, and luckily it’s not even the most agriculturally used area of the country. The main issue is the waterways and the irrigation system of the country is getting too much water.
With Belgium being so closely tied to NATO and the EU, the government has close ties to several nations with plans for climate change. However, with Belgium not having a big problem with climate change there is not a really huge plan to fix it. However Belgium would be willing to offer some support for countries that are struggling more with this issue.
Woldeamlak, S. T., et al. “Effects of Climate Change on the Groundwater System in the Grote-Nete Catchment, Belgium – Hydrogeology Journal.” SpringerLink, Springer-Verlag, 1 Feb. 2007, link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-006-0145-x
Latte, Nicolas, et al. “Major Changes in Growth Rate and Growth Variability of Beech (Fagus Sylvatica L.) Related to Soil Alteration and Climate Change in Belgium.” MDPI, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 8 Aug. 2016, www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/7/8/174
Baguis, P., et al. “Climate Change Scenarios for Precipitation and Potential Evapotranspiration over Central Belgium – Theoretical and Applied Climatology.” SpringerLink, Springer Vienna, 6 May 2009, link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00704-009-0146-5
Berrang-Ford, L., et al. “Farm-Level Adaptation to Climate Change: The Case of the Loam Region in Belgium.” Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, 28 June 2018, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308521X17305875
Brouyere, Serge, et al. “Climate Change Impacts on Groundwater Resources: Modelled Deficits in a Chalky Aquifer, Geer Basin, Belgium – Hydrogeology Journal.” SpringerLink, Springer-Verlag, 11 Dec. 2003, link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-003-0293-1
Campioli, Matteo, et al. “Current Status and Predicted Impact of Climate Change on Forest …” Current Status and Predicted Impact of Climate Change on Forest Production and Biogeochemistry in the Temperate Oceanic European Zone: Review and Prospects for Belgium as a Case Study, 28 June 2010, www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1007/s10310-011-0255-8
Happaerts, Sander, et al. “Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations: The Multi-Level Politics Of …” Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations: The Multi-Level Politics of Climate Change Policy in Belgium, 7 Dec. 2012, www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14782804.2012.737662
