Billions of euros of European funds will be invested in Poland between 2014 and 2020 under the heading of sustainable development and climate action. But without sound strategies and political will to decarbonise its economy, Europe’s biggest coal addict is set to waste the transformative potential of EU money – and Brussels is letting it happen.
Misuse of EU funds holds back Europe’s clean energy transition
January 26, 2016 | Read more
The new member states from Central Europe misuse the EU funding aimed at decarbonising their energy systems.
The World Bank is currently inviting comments for its consultation on disclosure in public-private partnership projects. Deadline for inputs 29th February 2016.
UPDATED: New documents on European Investment Bank loans to Volkswagen
January 18, 2016 | Read more
Documents obtained by Bankwatch provide more details for a European Investment Bank statement that its loans to Volkswagen may have been connected to the car makers use of cheating devices to rig emission tests.
Romania and the Energy Union: little more than wishful thinking
January 14, 2016 | Read more
When Maroš Šefčovič, the Commission’s Vice President for the Energy Union visited Bucharest in October 2015 to discuss Romania’s role in the overhaul of Europe’s energy sector, his speech seemed promising at first. It focused on renewables, energy efficiency and research and innovation – all issues that are rarely on the Romanian public agenda. But eventually, much like the Commission’s assessment for Romania (pdf) that was presented during the visit, the message and its level of ambition felt more like much ado about nothing.
No-one will ‘freeze to death’ if the planned lignite-fired power plant in Kosovo does not receive support from multilateral development banks, but if it does, low-income households may well end up choosing between electricity and food. How can an institution, whose very mission is to end poverty, justify this project?