Uploaded on 2015-12-15 by Giulialorini88

*FOOD* Agriculture occupies almost 60 percent of the land, woodland about 20 percent and urban areas, including residential, industrial and green areas as well as roads and railways, about 20 percent. Ordered listing of major crops and products: sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco, beef, veal, pork, milk. **b. Regulating services** *AIR QUALITY* The main sources of pollution are the transport and building sectors. But owing to Brussels geographic position, air pollution is also strongly influenced by external sources. In addition, more than 300 000 vehicles enter Brussels every day from the other two regions. An active prevention policy is in place to guarantee better air quality: - encourage the use of public transport, cycling or walking, - reduce car traffic in the city - improve the environmental performance of vehicles. - Ambitious measures to reduce energy consumption in the building sector - improve the performance of technical installations have also been adopted. - Brussels has, also, introduced an action plan in case of peaks in winter pollution. These measures have helped to improve air quality over the past few years: energy consumption per inhabitant was reduced by 18% between 2004 and 2010. We have also seen a fall in greenhouse gas emissions. The situation is therefore improving even if some pollutants remain a problem. The adoption of COBRACE (Code of Brussels for Air, the Climate and Energy Control) aims to emphasise these positive results by simultaneously meeting the energy, climate and air quality stakes and defining new ambitious standards in this domain. (http://www.sustainablecity.be//brusselsgreencapital/air-quality) *WASTE WATER* “ Brussels was originally a town constructed around water, with a relatively dense hydrographic network comprised of streams, ponds and marshes. This surface network has diminished over time: waterways have been buried and sometimes dried up. In the second half of the 19th century, many waterways were covered owing to public health issues. Therefore, historically, the sewage network relied on the hydrographic network. Before 2000, domestic and industrial sewage flowed directly into the Senne, without any processing. In order to put an end to this situation inherited from the past, Brussels carried out major infrastructure works, completing the sewer network and building two sewage plants that are responsible for the purification of 99% of the sewage collected (100% in 2013). Since they came into operation, there has been a significant improvement in the quality of the Senne’s water and in other streams in Brussels. The following has been achieved: • since 2004, a reduction in the biological demand for oxygen. • since 2004, a reduction in nitrogen and phosphorous concentrations. • since 2006, an increase in average levels of dissolved oxygen. The Water Management Plan adopted in July 2012 should reinforce these trends. Furthermore, an ambitious policy to integrate water into town and country planning is underway, with the implementation of the blue network (uncovering certain rivers), the harmonious integration of water into the urban environment, and the need to manage the ground permeability to reduce flooding. Water is also considered as a future economic sector, integrated into the employment-environment alliance process”. (http://www.sustainablecity.be//brusselsgreencapital/waste-water) **c. Habitat or Supporting services** The demographic growth which the Brussels Region is experiencing is conveyed through a great deal of pressure on land allocation. But despite this, Brussels has succeeded in preserving 53% of its undeveloped sites. The Brussels-Capital Region is home to a biological heritage of an exceptional diversity in an urban environment: nearly 800 species of plants and 44 species of mammal, including 17 species of bat, 92 species of nesting birds, nine species of amphibians and reptiles, etc. The abundance of public and private green spaces play a vital role in the preservation of this biodiversity. Among these is the Sonian Forest, which is an undeniable asset: it covers almost 5 000 hectares, divided between the country’s three regions, with 1 665 in the Brussels-Capital Region (10% of the regional territory).It extends into the city through a series of green spaces. Since 2003, Brussels has three Natura 2000 sites (SAC), totaling 2 321 ha, i.e. 14% of the Brussels area, which is exceptional in an urban environment! In total, half of Brussels’ green spaces are protected, i.e. approximately a quarter of the Region’s total surface area! Species that disappeared a long time ago (such as the Peregrine Falcon, the fox, etc.) have once again found a place in the urban ecosystem. Foret des Soignes: ![saisir une description de l’image ici][1] **d. Cultural services** Brussels is one of the greenest European capitals. A multitude of parks and gardens are present in the city. Each of them possesses their own history, organization, sculptures, architecture, trees, ect. People value the time they spend in city parks, whether walking a dog, playing basketball, or having a picnic. Along with these expected leisure amenities, parks can also provide measurable health benefits, from providing direct contact with nature and a cleaner environment, to opportunities for physical activity and social interaction. In Brussels parks are becoming more and more important as meeting places. The biggest parks are very well located (for example Parc du Cinquantenaire is in the European area or Bois de la Cambre is near the University Campus) and their accessibility is working well too. Many events have been moved from downtown to these parks: - Concerts, special events like “Brussels Garden Festival” or “Jazz Marathon”…. Parks improve our physical and psychological health, strengthen our communities, and make our cities and neighborhoods more attractive places to live and work. Bois de la Cambre in winter and in spring time: ![saisir une description de l’image ici][2] [1]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14502136586294296.jpg [2]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14502137618644187.jpg