Romania’s big bet on fossil gas proves a reckless gamble
September 5, 2024
Romania has hit the EU funds jackpot, securing significant amounts for fossil gas projects. However, implementation has been sluggish. More concerningly, these projects could delay Europe’s energy transition and deepen Romania’s dependence on fossil fuels.
Western Balkans: Chaotic, opaque selection process for EU infrastructure funding needs major improvements
August 29, 2024
The EU’s Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) has spent billions of euros on infrastructure, mainly in transport and energy. But our new analysis, examining how countries choose projects to nominate for funding, finds a chaotic situation vulnerable to politically-driven decision-making. Clearer rules, public participation and earlier information disclosure are urgently needed.
Environmental NGOs demand halt to KfW controversial biomass investments in Serbia
July 29, 2024
41 environmental organisations from the Western Balkans, Germany, and across Europe have called on German state-owned development bank KfW to stop financing wood biomass energy in Serbia in order to avoid forest degradation risks and locking Serbia into further dependency on high-carbon energy sources.[1]
Week in Review: Action or Inaction?
July 19, 2024
Governments and citizens across South-east Europe find themselves stuck between action and inaction in choosing whether and how to deal …
Western Balkans can skip gas and move straight to renewables, says Bankwatch
July 18, 2024
NGO CEE Bankwatch says anticipated solar and wind projects in the region are expected to generate four times more electricity over their …
Hooked on gas: CEE governments’ climate plans prescribe fossil gas addiction
July 16, 2024
During much of the past 13 months – the longest streak of record-breaking global temperatures – EU governments have been revising their climate strategies. Yet, instead of increasing ambition at a time of a climate emergency, as they have committed to do, policymakers in central and eastern Europe appear keen to sustain their countries’ addiction to fossil gas.
Urgent call for central and eastern European countries to raise their NECP climate ambitions
June 27, 2024
With the deadline (30 June) for EU Member States to submit their national energy and climate plans (NECPs) fast approaching, concerns are growing that CEE countries are not showing the ambition needed to meet their 2030 climate and energy targets.
EU climate fund bankrolling dirty energy expansion
June 25, 2024
As global temperatures continue to soar and climate disasters hit the most vulnerable, the EU’s little-known Modernisation Fund is propping up unsustainable energy infrastructure.
Hooked on gas: Report on the status of national energy and climate plans in central and eastern Europe
June 20, 2024
This publication highlights the need for gas phase-out pathways and identifies shortcomings in the current draft NECPs of eight central and eastern European Member States.
Delays in Almaty CHP-2 gas project open new opportunities for a rethink
May 29, 2024
Supported by the EBRD, the conversion of Almaty’s coal heat and power plant CHP-2 to gas has been seriously delayed. This opens an opportunity for a rethink: Why is the EBRD continuing to support this project instead of funding a clean and potentially cheaper type of heating?
