How to monitor the spending of the EUR 672 billion recovery fund
August 31, 2021
Following the European Commission’s assessment, the majority of recovery plans have now been approved by the Council of the EU, paving the way for an unprecedented amount of money to be made available to Member States. However, with both the Commission and Member States rushing to disburse funds as quickly as possible, ensuring sufficient monitoring and control mechanisms are in place will be more important than ever before.
More stakeholder participation needed in preparation of new cohesion programmes
July 29, 2021
A joint Bankwatch-CAN Europe analysis in 11 countries shows little involvement of local stakeholders in the programming process of EU structural and investment funds. This contradicts EU rules on partnership and multi-level governance and won’t help reach the Green Deal’s objectives.
No renovation wave in sight across EU recovery plans in central and eastern Europe
July 26, 2021
In the national recovery and resilience plans, energy efficiency and building renovations can play a key role for Member States to achieve the required target of 37 per cent of expenditures related to climate. The potential to modernise buildings is the greatest in central and eastern Europe, where the building stock is particularly inefficient. But an assessment of eight national plans across the region finds uneven progress towards these aims. Christophe Jost of Bankwatch concludes that this is likely to hamper efforts to decarbonise the region’s building stock in line with the Renovation Wave´s ambitious objectives.
Will We Enable a Just and Socially Inclusive Energy Transition in Romania?
July 23, 2021
“No person and no place are left behind in the energy transition” is the promise that the European Commission made when issuing the EU …
‘Either the tracker had dropped, or he was dead’: The curious case of Cachou the bear
July 17, 2021
When Cachou the bear was killed, authorities and conservationists wanted answers – but the case wouldn’t be easy to solve, writes Laura …
Central and Eastern Europe’s buildings renovation plans fall far short of 55% emissions cuts
July 16, 2021
July 16, 2021 by Christophe Jost Leave a Comment
When Nature Shows the Way: supporting biodiversity for Europe’s green recovery
July 14, 2021
Biodiversity loss and climate change are the biggest environmental threats we face today. To address such crises, the EU has set in place a series of climate and environmental objectives as part of the European Green Deal. However, in order to achieve
Concern for irrigation, drainage and other water management measures in national recovery and resilience plans
July 14, 2021
The briefing outlines proposals for widespread irrigation and water management measures within six central and eastern European recovery plans and explains why these measures will likely be damaging to biodiversity. These include the development of int
Energy efficiency and renewables in buildings in national recovery and resilience plans
July 14, 2021
Investments in building renovations can significantly contribute to reaching the EU’s 2030 energy and climate objectives. The Recovery and Resilience Facility presents an opportunity to help meet those funding needs, given the 37 per cent climate targe
The Life and Suspicious Death of Cachou the Bear
July 8, 2021
Conservationists saw the 6-year-old brown bear as a symbol of hope. Villagers saw him as a menace. Then he turned up dead.