Bond Beter Leefmilieu Vlaanderen, often called BBL, operates from a renovated 19th-century mansion at Tweekerkenstraat 47 in Brussels's European district. Founded in 1972 as the Flemish branch of the national environmental umbrella Bond Beter Leefmilieu/Inter-Environnement, it emerged amid protests against rapid post-war urban changes in Belgium, including the demolition of historic neighborhoods and motorway expansions that reshaped Brussels.
As the coordinating body for over 135 environmental groups, BBL focuses on steering Flanders toward sustainability by 2050 through shifts in energy, food systems, raw materials, land use, and transport. Staff and members lobby policymakers, support affiliates, and run campaigns on issues like clean air, soil remediation, and biodiversity preservation. Their Brussels headquarters, equipped with energy-efficient features and holding a Green Key label, doubles as a venue for up to 60 people in meetings emphasizing vegetarian catering and public transit access.
Recent efforts include a 2024 campaign with local groups demanding a carbon-neutral Brussels Airport to cut emissions and health risks from flights. BBL also backs climate litigation, such as the Klimaatzaak case, where courts ordered Belgium to slash greenhouse gases by 55 percent from 1990 levels by 2030. In urban planning, it contributed to the 2010s "Productive BXL" manifesto, advocating integrated economic development across Brussels and its Flemish suburbs to balance growth with environmental limits. These activities underscore BBL's role in bridging grassroots action with regional policy in a federalized Belgium.