‘Changing lives’ in Bishkek: The cost of a green transport failure
July 16, 2026
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) failed to trigger its environmental and social safeguards as the City of Bishkek got rid of 131 trolleybuses purchased with loans from the Bank. Will any lessons be learned from this fiasco?
Environmental Governance and Public Participation: Tools of the Aarhus Convention
July 14, 2026
Please visit our YouTube channel to see video recordings of our webinar “Environmental Governance and Public Participation: Tools of the Aarhus Convention” (24 June 2026)
Briefing to the EIB Board on Rogun Hydropower Project in Tajikistan
June 12, 2026
The Rogun Hydropower Project in Tajikistan raises serious concerns regarding freshwater ecosystems, the resettlement of 60,000 people, regional water security and human rights within the context of severely restricted civic space. As the European Investment Bank (EIB) is appraising the project, civil society groups are calling on the EIB’s Board of Directors to ensure compliance with the Bank’s Environmental and Social Standards and relevant EU standards.
Broken safeguards and oversight failures: The case of Almaty International Airport
May 30, 2026
The EBRD-financed Almaty International Airport expansion and Horizon infrastructure project have been subject to a number of complaints, including alleged legal and heritage protection violations involving the demolition of a protected 1947 terminal building.
More buses, but is the system better? Evaluating Bishkek’s public transport network
April 29, 2026
Over the past few years, the public transport fleet in Bishkek – Kyrgyzstan’s capital city – has changed visibly. In a city where privately operated minibuses, known as marshrutkas, dominated for years, new gas-powered buses and electric buses are now in service.
Kambarata hydropower project: greater scrutiny from international banks is needed
December 19, 2025
Kyrgyzstan is promoting the massive 1,860 MW Kambarata-1 Hydropower Plant (HPP) as a solution to its ongoing energy crisis. The project, a joint effort with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan on Naryn River, is actively seeking funding from international financial institutions like the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB).
More than just a few bad apples: If public engagement matters, why isn’t the EBRD tracking it?
December 11, 2025
Civil society organisations and accountability mechanisms have repeatedly highlighted EBRD-financed projects in which the people affected have been marginalised, consultations have been superficial, and grievances have been ignored. These are not isolated missteps or the work of a few bad apples, but rather recurring problems that result in serious harm to people and the environment. Our latest research identifies 38 such cases, raising a pressing question: How can the EBRD ensure meaningful public participation if it doesn’t identify and learn from its failures?
Replicability gone wrong: Demolition of cultural heritage and environmental risks at EBRD project in Kazakhstan
December 8, 2025
For years, concerns have been raised about the Almaty International Airport Extension Project which is being financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Locals question the inadequate protection of cultural heritage and a lack of public participation and access to information. To address this, a formal complaint was recently filed with the Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM), and the outcome of a compliance review is pending.
Will Uzbekistan benefit from ratification of the Aarhus Convention?
November 14, 2025
In 2025, Uzbekistan finally acceded to the Aarhus Convention, becoming the last Central Asian state to ratify the treaty.
Bishkek residents seek mediation to restore trolleybus service
August 19, 2025
Residents of Bishkek have asked the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)’s Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM) to facilitate dialogue with urban authorities over concerns about the city’s trolleybus services.
