How does Belgium rank for coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions?

Belgium ranks 47th out of 220 countries with data for 2022.

Is coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions rising or falling in Belgium?

Over the last ten years it is down 55.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Belgium data come from?

The figures come from Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Belgium

Name: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Belgium
Creator: Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Belgium: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions was 153,447 tonnes in 2022. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2022)

153,447 tonnes

Change on year

up 12.0%

World rank

47th

of 220 countries

All-time high

1.19 million tonnes

in 1973

All-time low

55,711 tonnes

in 1851

Years of data

273

1750–2022

Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Belgium, 1750–2022

Source: Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.

Analysis

Belgium recorded 153,447 tonnes for coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in 2022.

The figure is up 12.0% on the previous year and down 55.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Belgium peaked at 1.19 million tonnes in 1973 and was at its lowest, 55,711 tonnes, in 1851.

That places Belgium 47th out of 220 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1750s	67,205 tonnes	65,732 tonnes	68,675 tonnes	10
1760s	70,463 tonnes	69,001 tonnes	71,923 tonnes	10
1770s	73,698 tonnes	72,246 tonnes	75,148 tonnes	10
1780s	76,911 tonnes	75,469 tonnes	78,350 tonnes	10
1790s	80,100 tonnes	78,669 tonnes	81,529 tonnes	10
1800s	86,262 tonnes	81,846 tonnes	112,433 tonnes	10
1810s	86,410 tonnes	85,000 tonnes	87,818 tonnes	10
1820s	91,377 tonnes	88,130 tonnes	94,618 tonnes	10
1830s	120,673 tonnes	116,221 tonnes	127,233 tonnes	10
1840s	136,838 tonnes	131,112 tonnes	144,110 tonnes	10
1850s	75,101 tonnes	55,711 tonnes	91,010 tonnes	10
1860s	111,281 tonnes	89,423 tonnes	134,351 tonnes	10
1870s	162,802 tonnes	145,382 tonnes	178,511 tonnes	10
1880s	229,864 tonnes	194,332 tonnes	265,935 tonnes	10
1890s	324,849 tonnes	281,275 tonnes	382,766 tonnes	10
1900s	430,720 tonnes	385,337 tonnes	485,918 tonnes	10
1910s	390,093 tonnes	213,738 tonnes	594,513 tonnes	10
1920s	568,476 tonnes	349,171 tonnes	801,224 tonnes	10
1930s	737,821 tonnes	570,187 tonnes	935,012 tonnes	10
1940s	426,429 tonnes	201,887 tonnes	613,920 tonnes	10
1950s	639,050 tonnes	571,136 tonnes	694,782 tonnes	10
1960s	885,768 tonnes	712,443 tonnes	1.09 million tonnes	10
1970s	1.01 million tonnes	899,562 tonnes	1.19 million tonnes	10
1980s	656,318 tonnes	552,282 tonnes	879,455 tonnes	10
1990s	530,081 tonnes	439,587 tonnes	594,941 tonnes	10
2000s	547,901 tonnes	436,648 tonnes	613,533 tonnes	10
2010s	366,687 tonnes	264,727 tonnes	466,829 tonnes	10
2020s	132,774 tonnes	107,817 tonnes	153,447 tonnes	3

Countries ranked near Belgium

44 Hong Kong 172,497 tonnes compare
45 Sri Lanka 171,105 tonnes compare
46 Israel 169,703 tonnes compare
48 Syria 151,184 tonnes compare
49 Myanmar 148,612 tonnes compare
50 United Kingdom 140,141 tonnes compare

See the full ranking of 220 places →

More energy & mining data for Belgium

Fuel imports 16.0% (2024)
Ores and metals imports 4.6% (2024)
Ores and metals exports 3.5% (2024)
Gas production 0.1615 terawatt-hours (2024)
Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 13.75 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
Fossil fuel production by fuel 0.1615 terawatt-hours (2024)
Gas production per person 13.75 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
Fuel exports 11.6% (2024)
Electric power transmission and distribution losses 4.3% (2024)
Share of dietary energy supply from carbohydrates vs. GDP per capita 48.7% (2023)

All data for Belgium →

Frequently asked questions

What is coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Belgium?: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Belgium was 153,447 tonnes in 2022, according to Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions recorded in Belgium?: The highest recorded value was 1.19 million tonnes in 1973.
What is the lowest coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions recorded in Belgium?: The lowest recorded value was 55,711 tonnes in 1851.
How does Belgium rank for coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions?: Belgium ranks 47th out of 220 countries with data for 2022.
Is coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions rising or falling in Belgium?: Over the last ten years it is down 55.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Belgium data come from?: The figures come from Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 273 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions
Unit: tonnes
Source: Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 220 places, 60,060 data points, 1750–2022
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) is an air pollutant formed from the burning of fuels that contain sulfur, such as coal. SO₂ is one of the main chemicals that forms acid rain.