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Home > Beyond fossil fuels

Beyond fossil fuels

Fossil fuels are fast losing their social license. It is becoming increasingly evident that countries’ continued reliance on dirty hydrocarbons escalates the climate crisis, worsens air pollution and enables war.

Long touted as a ‘bridge fuel,’ fossil gas now needs to be recognised by policymakers for the hurdle to the energy transition that it is, and multilateral development banks should urgently end support for gas projects and gas-dependent companies.

The energy transition has to be just and fast, with citizens, municipalities and workers as critical participants in the process. We are working to ensure no more public money is spent on coal, and public finance is used to accelerate this transition.

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We provide updates in English from the Balkans and other coal regions.





IN FOCUS


Coal in the Balkans

In contrast to most EU countries, governments across southeast Europe plan new lignite power plants during the next few years. All the projects have serious economic, environmental and legal weaknesses, which would burden electricity consumers and taxpayers for years to come.

Fossil gas

Fossil gas is the new coal. Although often labelled ‘natural,’ fossil gas is a major driver of the climate crisis. There is no more room for new investments in fossil gas projects if we are to avert the worst impacts of the climate crisis and set a path towards decarbonisation.

District heating

District heating and individual heating are still dominated by fossil fuels and inefficient burning of wood without regard to sustainability criteria, in combination with a low degree of energy efficiency. This has to change, since heating plays a crucial role in the transition into a clean and zero-carbon economy.

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.

Documentary: Turning the Tide

Our documentary exposes, for the first time, the extent of financial support four of the world’s leading multilateral development banks (MDBs) – the World Bank, the European Investment Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development – have been providing to the global fossil fuels industry over the past 13 years. 

Our analysis shows that since 2008, the oil, coal and gas business has been enjoying no less than EUR 81.5 billion in support from these government-owned financial institutions in the form of loans, grants, credit lines and guarantees. 

 

Coal projects

Rovinari unit 7, Romania

CANCELLED: The Romanian Government has been negotiating for several years with the Chinese Government to build a new 600 MW unit at the lignite power plant in Rovinari, Gorj County. The new unit would be built on the site of Units 1 and 2, currently decommissioned. A new up and running plant would pollute the whole region for at least 40 more years, a coal plant’s average lifespan.


gacko lignite power, bosnia and herzegovina

Gacko II, Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Republika Srpska government plans to build a new 350 MW lignite power plant in Gacko, near the town’s existing plant. After years of stagnation, in August 2022 it was reported that the Czech company Witkowitz was considering investing in the project.


kamengrad lignite power plant, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Kamengrad lignite power plant, Bosnia-Herzegovina

An idea to build a power plant at the open-cast Kamengrad coal mine near Sanski Most in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been around for years, but in November 2017 it took a step forward with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Energy China International and the construction supplier Lager d.o.o. for a 2 x 215 MW plant.


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Latest news

Western Balkan governments still complicit in deadly coal pollution – new report

Press release | 17 June, 2025

In 2024, Western Balkan governments’ chronic law enforcement failures allowed sulphur dioxide (SO2) pollution from the region’s antiquated coal power plants to exceed legal limits by six times, according to the seventh edition of Bankwatch’s Comply or Close report, published today (1). Dust and nitrogen oxides (NOx) pollution from coal plants also continued to exceed legal limits.

Read more

Environmental groups once again call on KfW to stop funding biomass plants in Serbia

Press release | 5 June, 2025

Four environmental NGOs have today written to KfW Directors [1], calling once again for an end to ongoing funding for biomass heat and power plants in Serbia, and demanding answers to previously raised concerns that campaigners say KfW evaded in a previous response. The letter follows a visit to Novi Pazar biomass plant which KfW helped fund by representatives of CEE Bankwatch and Earth Thrive.

Read more

Joint NGO statement: New EU budget must ensure dedicated funds for environmental protection and just transition in the Western Balkans

Press release | 28 May, 2025

68 civil society organisations have today issued a joint statement calling on the EU to ensure dedicated funds for environmental protection and just transition of coal-dependent regions in the Western Balkans in the post-2027 EU budget.

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Related publications

Comply or Close 2025: Seven years of deadly legal breaches by Western Balkan coal plants

Report | 17 June, 2025 | Download PDF

The end of 2024 marked seven years since the deadline passed for power plants in the Western Balkans to meet new air pollution standards.


The EBRD’s climate contradiction: Syrdarya fossil-gas plant locks Uzbekistan into Russian energy dependence

Issue paper | 29 May, 2025 | Download PDF

The USD 200 million investment in the 1,500-megawatt combined-cycle gas turbine power plant in the Syrdarya region of Uzbekistan exposes significant contradictions between the EBRD’s stated commitments and its actual financing decisions. 


Joint NGO statement on the future of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) in the post-2027 EU budget

Joint statement | 28 May, 2025 | Download PDF

This joint statement signed by 68 civil society organisations calls on the EU to ensure dedicated funds for environmental protection and just transition of coal-dependent regions in the Western Balkans


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