Forty Thousand in Brussels Streets Chant 'Stop Fossil Fuel Subsidies' as EU Postpones Methane Regulation

Shortly after Belgium experienced deadly heat waves and wildfires, tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Brussels on the 11th, demanding more decisive climate action. But at the very same time, the European Commission is pushing forward a proposal to delay the reporting obligations under the methane regulation by one year. The urgency on the streets and the delay in the institutions form the most representative contrast in European climate politics this weekend.

According to Africanews, police estimated the march at 45,000 people, while organizers including environmental groups such as the Climate Coalition put the figure at 60,000. The procession moved through central Brussels and ended near the EU institutions. Demonstrators carried giant inflatable Earth models and held signs demanding an end to fossil fuel subsidies, higher taxes on the industry, and a just transition to clean energy.

This mobilization comes after a summer of record-breaking heat and repeated heat waves in Europe. Belgium previously saw deadly heat, and wildfires also broke out in the Hoge Kempen National Park. Next month, the United Nations climate conference COP31 will be held in Antalya, Turkey.

According to reports, expectations for this summit are low in both Brussels and the broader European political circles. Climate issues have slipped down the European political agenda, while the United States under Donald Trump has gone further—having already withdrawn from international climate action.

A more direct signal comes from the European institutions themselves. Reports indicate that the European Commission is proposing to delay the reporting requirements for fossil fuel importers under the EU methane regulation by one year, from 2027 to 2028. The change still requires approval from MEPs and member states.

On one side, the public is shouting "stop subsidies, raise taxes" while the memory of the scorching heat has yet to fade; on the other, the legislative machine is pushing back the oversight timeline for fossil fuel importers—this gap in pace has itself become a yardstick for measuring the credibility of Europe's climate commitments.