Established to promote transition to market-oriented economies in the countries of central and eastern Europe and Central Asia, the EBRD’s lending often fails to benefit the people in these countries and regularly prioritises carbon-intensive and environmentally damaging development.
Alternative news on the EBRD
Harsh economic realities and the discernible trend of democratic retrenchment in EBRD recipient countries suggest there are serious deficiencies in the bank’s overall ‘market-oriented’ approach.
LATEST UPDATE
EBRD PROJECTS WE MONITOR
The Khada Valley, Georgia
The Khada Valley in Georgia brings together exceptional biodiversity, precious cultural and archeological heritage, and mountainous villages which have preserved rich traditions and historical lifestyles. But all of this might vanish if a 23-kilometer road from Georgia to Russia – the Kvesheti-Kobi project – is built.
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Make ICT Fair – improving electronics supply chain
Make ICT Fair is an initiative to improve labour rights in the electronics supply chain, established by eleven European non-governmental organisations and academic institutions: Swedwatch, University of Edinburgh, CATAPA, Le Monde Diplomatic, Towards Sustainability Association, CEE Bankwatch Network, People and Planet, Electronic Watch, SETEM Catalunya, Südwind, and ICLEI.
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Amulsar gold mine, Armenia
Since 2016 the controversial Amulsar gold mine project is being developed by Armenia’s largest foreign investor, an international mining company Lydian, near the touristic spa town of Jermuk.
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LATEST UPDATES
Groundhog day: Third public consultation for Belgrade incinerator environmental studies and still no circular economy in sight
Blog entry | 1 October, 2020Construction of Belgrade’s Vinča incinerator officially started last year, so why have Serbian authorities opened a new public consultation on an updated environmental study? Annulling all previous approvals immediately is the only way to give this process any integrity.
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Georgia’s precious Khada Valley at risk due to a new road to Russia
Blog entry | 18 September, 2020Scientists, civil activists and the local community unite and call on Europeans to join the petition to save the exceptional biodiversity and precious cultural heritage in Khada.
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The never ending saga of the Nenskra HPP
Blog entry | 17 September, 2020The Nenskra HPP is one of 35 hydropower plants slated for development in Upper Svaneti, a region roughly one-and-a-half times the size of Luxembourg.
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LATEST PUBLICATION
Tbilisi is a city of more than 1.2 million people,1 characterized by serious environmental challenges in terms of air, water and soil pollution. It also experiences problems with urban planning and mobility. This briefing analyses the lack of integration in international efforts to make Tbilisi a greener, more sustainable place to live.
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Our critique of the EBRD
After more than two decades of promoting market economies in post-Soviet countries, the EBRD has a poor track record of keeping up with its mission to protect human rights and the environment and promote sustainable development.
For the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall we collected examples of EBRD operations to illustrate just how the bank’s activities are often not worth celebrating – at least not for the affected people and environment.
Strong safeguard policies to guide bank lending are essential. At the EBRD meetings we are pushing for these types of reforms based on our collected experience with bank projects across the region.
Too often the EBRD safeguard policies fail to deliver protection for people, climate and the environment. What can be done?
Bankwatch produced this video for the 20th anniversary of EBRD operations, at a time when the bank announced intentions to extend its operational activities to north Africa.
Toolkit for civil society
Guidance on how to use the EBRD’s grievance mechanism for civil society, local groups and individuals that are adversely affected by a bank project.
