Can Ukraine’s EU-backed recovery plan deliver on its green promises?
June 3, 2024
The Ukrainian government recently unveiled its Ukraine Plan, a key component of the Ukraine Facility, the EU’s 2024–2027 financial support programme aimed at rebuilding the country. The plan outlines several positive steps towards achieving a sustainable recovery, including a commitment to low-carbon, circular, and nature-friendly reconstruction efforts. However, there is much room for improvement.
Why is rebuilding the Kakhovka dam not the best option for Ukraine?
May 29, 2024
After the collapse of the Kakhovka dam in 2023, some stakeholders support the reconstruction of the dam, while others are willing to support the restoration of the natural landscape on the site of the former reservoir.
The EBRD’s (ir)responsible exit from the Amulsar gold mine project in Armenia
May 29, 2024
The engagement of the EBRD in supporting the Amulsar gold mine in Armenia in its early stages resulted in adverse environmental, social, economic, and human rights impacts. The EBRD terminated funding to the client and exited the project, but the harm remains unremedied.
Learning from multiple crises to build resilient agri-food systems
May 29, 2024
While the EBRD investments helped increase agricultural production in its countries of operation, there is an urgent need to address the regional and global challenges. This can be done through sustainable investment into small and medium farms, phasing out large-scale livestock production, investing in circularity and decarbonisation
Suggestions for integrating considerations of land concentration impacts into the EBRD’s safeguards
May 29, 2024
Based on our experience with the EBRD’s investments in the agricultural sector, we have worked with the Land Matrix Initiative to formulate recommendations for the EBRD to integrate considerations of the impact of land concentration into its safeguards.
Georgia’s democratic future at stake: Russian-style ‘foreign agents’ bill threatens civil society and independent media
May 27, 2024
On 3 April 2024, Georgia’s ruling party revived the controversial ‘Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence’, which labels independent media and civil society groups as foreign agents. The move, coming just over a year after initial proposals were dropped, has sparked widespread protests once again.
Joint civil society letter to the EBRD President on Georgia’s draft law on Transparency of Foreign Influence
May 27, 2024
More than 30 international and national civil society organisations have joined the call to the President of the EBRD, Odile Renaud-Basso, to condemn the Foreign Agents Law, which is an attack on civil society and independent media and risks jeopardising their activities and the success of business operations in Georgia.
Comments on the draft Environmental and Social Policy with a focus on human rights due diligence
May 27, 2024
The EBRD’s safeguards revisions show some progress, but the Bank needs to strengthen its own environmental and social due diligence, particularly in the area of human rights, to prevent human rights abuses through early risk identification and effective mitigation.
Key trends and shortcomings in community engagement on high-risk EBRD projects
May 24, 2024
The EBRD sets out requirements for stakeholder engagement as part of project risk and impact assessments. This study reviews the stakeholder engagement practices of EBRD clients in all 34 high-risk projects disclosed between 2020 and 2024.
CEE Bankwatch comments on the draft EBRD Access to Information Policy and Directive on Access to Information
May 24, 2024
CEE Bankwatch Network calls on the EBRD to commit to better disclosure of project-related environmental and social information. This will help enhance the Bank’s due diligence and ensure early identification of risks, effective impact mitigation, and compliance with the EBRD’s commitments.
