Court annuls environmental permit for Drina hydropower project
May 2, 2024
Photo: fotos1992 from Pixabay
Bern Convention: Skavica dam in Albania contradicts the Balkan Lynx Recovery Programme
April 24, 2024
The Bureau of the Convention recently accepted a new complaint and urged the Albanian authorities to not develop projects which may negatively affect habitats and species.
Clearcutting chaos: A bumpy ride for Estonia’s conservation areas
April 15, 2024
Rail Baltica, the ambitious railway project set to connect the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania as part of Europe’s modern rail network, promises to boost regional development and integration. However, despite assurances of habitat protection and compensation measures during the construction of Rail Baltica, recent revelations on clearcutting in protected areas have exposed longstanding issues with Estonian forests. The case also highlights the broader challenges faced by nature when economic development takes precedence and the need for proper environmental safeguards against economic interests.
The Corridor Vc motorway in Bosnia and Herzegovina: A decisive test for EU standards
April 5, 2024
Based on a March 2024 site visit, this report examines two planned sections of the motorway– from Mostar South to the Kvanj Tunnel and from Konjic to Mostar, through the iconic Prenj mountain. It presents updated findings and underlines that it is crucial for the European Commission, EIB and EBRD to ensure that the route south of Mostar and via Prenj is re-examined and publicly consulted if they want to avoid many more years of delay.
Led by nature: Projects to protect and restore biodiversity in Europe
March 22, 2024
These case studies from several European Member States demonstrate some of the many ways EU funds can and should be used to support nature restoration and conservation projects, which are instrumental to addressing the biodiversity crisis across sectors while also building a greener, fairer future.
Beyond profit: How to reshape the European Green Deal for people’s well-being
March 12, 2024
This searing report by the Citizens’ Observatory on Green Deal Financing analyses key EU funding mechanisms and exposes significant shortcomings in strategic priorities and implementation.
Beyond profit: Launch of report on EU’s green finance challenges
March 12, 2024
Ahead of the upcoming EU elections, uncertainty surrounds the financing of the EU’s climate agenda and the future of flagship initiatives such as the European Green Deal and the NextGenerationEU fund. Despite ambitious intentions, progress on environmental sustainability and economic recovery is failing to improve people’s well-being, according to a new report by the Citizens’ Observatory on Green Deal Financing.
Environmental groups urge European Commission to speed up nature safeguards in the Western Balkans, Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova
February 23, 2024
The EU must accelerate plans to strengthen nature protection rules for energy infrastructure development under the Energy Community Treaty (1), 36 civil society organisations today urged the EU Commissioner for Environment, Virginijus Sinkevičius, in a joint letter.
Needs and priorities for biodiversity funding: a comparative analysis of Latvia and Estonia
February 22, 2024
This briefing provides an overview of the priorities for national biodiversity needs in Latvia and Estonia.
Halfway there but facing a mid-life crisis: why the EU’s recovery fund is failing to deliver
February 21, 2024
The European Commission’s mid-term evaluation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility, published today, delivers an overly positive assessment. According to CEE Bankwatch Network, the EU’s landmark fund, which was expected to bring about a ‘green recovery’, still faces numerous implementation challenges.
