Residents of Karaganda, a major industrial city in central Kazakhstan, originally welcomed plans to modernise the larger of its two wastewater treatment plants with the help of a loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). However, the design of the project – revealed during public hearings – has prompted significant concerns among both citizens and experts. Over the past year, a local civil society organisation has been advocating for a review of the design, highlighting technical flaws and violations of stakeholder engagement obligations.
On the afternoon of 28 March, residents, municipal representatives, and locally elected officials joined a panel of experts in the Latvian city of Daugavpils to discuss the future of cycling in the city. The aim of the event was to identify existing challenges as well as practical solutions that might encourage more residents to choose cycling as a regular mode of transport.
The Western Balkans is facing a pressing energy crisis, largely due to outdated district heating systems that waste vast amounts of energy. In Serbia alone, district heating networks serve over 700,0000 households, yet inefficiencies have led to energy losses of up to 12 per cent, resulting in higher costs and increased greenhouse gas emissions. Energy consumption per square metre is nearly triple that of western Europe, mainly due to poor insulation and ageing infrastructure. Rising energy prices and reliance on often imported fossil fuels make energy efficiency an economic necessity.
Jiříkov’s path to a clean energy future
March 20, 2025 | Read more
The profound transformation of Europe’s energy sector in response to climate change and the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions is having a particularly significant impact on regions that have long relied on fossil fuels, especially coal mining.
In the current age of ‘competent white men’, ‘traditional family values’ and the EU’s simplified sustainable finance regulations, what lies in store for the inclusion and equality policies of Europe’s public development banks?
Community energy and energy cooperatives in Estonia are still in the early stages of development, but interest in the field is growing steadily. In recent years, several small cooperatives have been established, with some communities taking the initiative to develop solar and wind energy projects. However, in the county of Ida–Viru, the heart of Estonia’s just transition, there are no fully functioning renewable energy cooperatives to inspire and mobilise local communities.
