June 2012

Fossil fuels rebranded as low-carbon also in Cohesion Policy discussions

EU funds campaign coordinator

June 1, 2012

Discussions in the European Parliament on the next Cohesion Policy have seemingly been taken hostage by fossil fuel friendly interests - once again with Poland taking the lead.

Tags: climate Cohesion Policy EU budget European Parliament fossil fuels MFF Poland EU

Institution: EU Funds

Theme: Energy & climate

Location: Poland

Hydro power plants endanger the Balkan lynx in Macedonia

Petr Hlobil

International affairs director

June 5, 2012

A fact-finding mission to Macedonia has confirmed our concerns that two planned hydro power plants are set to destroy important natural habitats in the Mavrovo National Park.

Tags: biodiversity dams hydropower lynx national park Natura2000 protected areas water Balkans

Institution: EBRD, World Bank Group

Theme: Energy & climate, Other harmful projects

Location: Macedonia

The revolution should not be privatised

Pippa Gallop

Research coordinator

June 12, 2012

Pushing for public-private partnerships will not support democratisation in the Arab Spring countries but risks increasing their public debt. Our new website brings together the PPP lessons that Europe should have learned.

Tags: Arab spring corruption democratisation development Egypt infrastructure PFI PPP public-private partnerships Southern Mediterranean

Institution: EBRD, EIB

Theme: Social & economic impacts

Location: Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan

Between the headlines: EBRD expansion demands policy-driven approach

Anelia Stefanova

Campaigns director

June 14, 2012

With the European Parliament's ratification of the expansion of EBRD operations to north Africa the question arises again: Is the bank fit for this purpose? The Parliament's answer sounds like a resounding 'maybe'.

Tags: Arab spring coherence democracy EBRD European Parliament policy transparency Southern Mediterranean

Institution: EBRD

Theme: Social & economic impacts

Location: Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia

The EIB in Greece: by the numbers

David Hoffman

Media coordinator

June 15, 2012

As Europe’s financial establishment braces for the results of tomorrow’s Greek elections and Eurozone officials dangle the carrot of a new European Investment Bank programme in front of Athens, we’ve prepared a snapshot of previous EIB loans in the country. [1] [2] [3] [4] (NB: any tricolour similarities are entirely coincidental.)

Tags: austerity crisis debt economics EIB eurozone graph Greece numbers EU

Institution: EIB

Theme: Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts

Location: Greece

#Endfossilfuelsubsidies in Ukraine

Sven Haertig-Tokarz

Web editor

June 19, 2012

Joining a global day of action against fossil fuel subsidies, Bankwatchers in Ukraine highlighted how much still needs to be done in their country.

Tags: coal energy efficiency fossil fuels public action renewables subsidies Ukraine EU neighbourhood

Institution:

Theme: Energy & climate

Location: Ukraine

3:1 against Ombla, Croatia must stop gung-ho investment

Marijan Galovic

Croatian campaigner and resource efficiency expert

June 20, 2012

3 out of 4 experts gave a negative opinion on the environmental study of the Ombla hydropower plant. Now the Croatian government must heed their warnings and stop the project.

Tags: biodiversity hydropower Natura2000 Ombla protected areas renewables Zelena Akcija EU

Institution: EBRD

Theme: Other harmful projects

Location: Croatia

Project: Ombla hydropower plant, Croatia

Environmental study for illegal coal plant gets thumbs up in Croatia

Bernard Ivcic

President of Zelena akcija/Friends of the Earth Croatia

June 21, 2012

The Plomin “C” coal power plant in Croatia is illegal - so why has its environmental impact assessment been given the thumbs up?

Tags: accountability climate coal Croatia fossil fuels protest EU

Institution:

Theme: Energy & climate

Location: Croatia

Project: Plomin coal power plant, Croatia

Europe's unequal partnerships - a sad tale about energy

Alena Miskun

Ukrainian EIB campaigner

June 25, 2012

A too strong focus on energy security is steering Europe's engagement with neighbouring states in a troublesome direction for the partnering countries.

Tags: biodiversity energy security ENP hydropower nuclear policy renewables Balkans EU neighbourhood

Institution: EBRD, EIB

Theme: Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts, Other harmful projects, Balkans

Location: Ukraine, Georgia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Croatia, Montenegro

Project: Nuclear power plant safety upgrades, Ukraine, The 'Second Backbone Corridor' - High voltage electricity transmission lines, Ukraine