The economic viability of coal is ever decreasing. Without public financial support many coal investments are doomed to fail. Yet several institutions are still willing to finance an energy source that wrecks our climate, damages our health and wastes our money.
To help bring about a world beyond coal, we investigate and promote a socially responsible transition while exposing the economic, legal, social and environmental risks of coal power.
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We provide updates in English from the Balkans and other coal regions.
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Just transition
No one should be left behind when we reconstruct our world into one driven by clean energy. Working on just transition brings all actors who believe in fair regional redevelopment to the same table: unions, industry, public administration, governments, civil society and others sharing this goal.
Coal projects
Kolubara B lignite-fired power plant, Serbia
The Kolubara B thermal power plant site is situated near Kalenic village, 60 km south-west of Belgrade, at the northern side of the Tamnava Open Cast Mine. The decision to build the 2 x 350 MW plant was taken in 1983 and construction started in 1988. Construction progressed slowly until 1992, when work was suspended due to sanctions against Serbia. At this stage, about 40 per cent of the facility had already been constructed, partly with the assistance of a World Bank loan.
Kostolac B3 lignite power plant, Serbia
Serbia’s state-owned utility Elektroprivreda Srbije is planning a new 350 MW lignite plant at Kostolac in the country’s north-east. In spite of high level support and Chinese financing, the project is plagued by concerns over pollution, State aid and legal challenges.
Kosova e Re lignite power plant, Kosovo
Kosovo currently wastes much of the electricity it produces in its two highly polluting lignite plants: In 2018, nearly 28 percent was lost from the distribution system through technical losses and non-payment (around half each), and much more is wasted through lack of energy efficiency measures. Yet the Kosovo government plans to build a new 500 MW lignite plant (around 450 MW net), Kosova e Re or New Kosovo.
Latest news
Dobrovoľne behali okolo uhoľnej elektrárne. Uprostred panorámy sa objavil obrovský hríb dymu, hovorí bežec
Bankwatch in the media | 15 January, 2021Skupina bežcov sa rozhodla zabehnúť trasu okolo uhoľnej elektrárne v Severnom Macedónsku, aby poukázali na znečistenie ovzdušia v okolí.
Read moreRunners raise the alarm about air pollution from coal power during inaugural Lung Run
Blog entry | 22 December, 2020One of the leading reasons for the extremely polluted air are the outdated and substandard coal-fired power plants in the region. The 16 plants operating in the Western Balkan countries emit as much sulphur dioxide and dust pollution as the entire fleet of coal plants in the EU.
Read moreTime to end the damaging cycle of land, surface and groundwater pollution in Tuzla
Blog entry | 21 December, 2020There are few things one can be sure of in life, but the constant anxiety communities near Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Tuzla power plant experience is one of them.
Read moreRelated publications
Pollution of land, surface and groundwater near the slag and ash disposal site of Tuzla thermal power plant
Study | 18 December, 2020 | Download PDFFrom 1 March – 31 August 2020, an analysis of water and soil samples was conducted in the area of influence of the closed slag and ash disposal sites in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) – Plane, Divkovići I, Divkovići II, Drežnik and Jezero I – as w
Pathways for Just Transitions in South East Europe
Policy comments | 14 December, 2020 | Download PDFThis policy paper is a companion piece to “Accelerated Lignite Exit in Bulgaria, Romania and Greece”, a report published in May 2020 modelling the impact of the early retirement of some coal and all lignite power plants in the electricity sector in the three countries.
Saying Adiós to Coal
Briefing | 10 December, 2020 | Download PDFThis briefing was issued by the Europe Beyond Coal campaign in December 2020. Europe Beyond Coal is an alliance of civil society groups working to catalyse the closures of coal mines and power plants, to prevent the building of any new coal projects and hasten the just transition to clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency. Our groups are devoting their time, energy and resources to this independent campaign to make Europe coal free by 2030 or sooner.
