Almost all the countries in the Balkan region are planning to build new coal power plants, but there has been virtually no mention of the need for them to comply with new pollution standards.
Mountain villages in the country’s northeast protest for changes to the routing of high voltage lines in a series of local protests.
Unsuccessful in making a coal power plant reduce abhorrent pollution levels, the village of Golemo Selo, Bulgaria is trying to “move” to a new municipality, hoping to have more say in matters concerning its citizens’ health and livelihoods.
Levels of particulate matter (fine dust) in Rosia de Jiu, Romania were up to 20 times above the limit suggested by the World Health Organisation, show the results of our independent monitoring.
The EBRD and Societe Generale are now sponsoring a mass-scale construction project across Albania. Over 300 hydropower plants in various stages of development are posing real threats to the mountainous country’s nature and people. They should avoid repeating Ever Hoxha’s concrete folly.
The European Union’s and China’s joint commitment to climate action is tarnished by Chinese support for and the EU’s neglect of coal projects in the Balkans, as a new briefing explains. But it is still not too late to change course.
