Crunch time at Sostanj
November 5, 2012 | Read more
November is shaping up to be crunch time for a new 600 MW lignite plant planned to be built at Sostanj in Slovenia. If the Slovenian government doesn’t manage to offer a state guarantee for loans from European public banks that should cover half the construction costs by the end of this month, the project could fail. At Bankwatch, we’re preparing our popcorn for the latest Sostanj thriller, on show across Europe this month.
After long delays and more than 3 years of preparation the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has finally completed and published a policy for its operations in the mining sector. Both the consultation process and the final outcome must leave “the consulted stakeholders” disappointed.
With a key EU summit one month away, how do things currently stand with the tortuous, plate tectonic-esque EU budget 2014-2020 negotiations?
A closer look at Ukraine’s energy strategy reveals fundamental flaws in the government’s plans to continue using old nuclear reactors and its rhetoric of nuclear being the only possible alternative.
The Polish government has a sad reputation for adopting unilateral, even obscure approaches when it comes to our country’s energy policy. What now came as a very disappointing surprise is that the Polish parliament joined the opportunistic chorus of denial – one that considers alternatives to the continued reliance on fossil fuels as a threat to Poland’s security.
Video: Notes for a better Europe
October 17, 2012 | Read more
European spending is often considered unnecessary, beaurocratic, and even damaging. We’re the last ones to deny that in Bankwatch. Yet, we are convinced that EU spending – if it is done right – can truly serve the public interest by creating jobs, reducing energy bills, minimizing air pollution, etc. Our new video highlights how some European projects are showing the way to a greener Europe and a better world.
