New damage to hydropower project a bleak reminder of development bank missteps in Georgia
Blog entry | 27 June, 2016On June 23 mudflows from the Devdoraki glacier again hit the Dariali gorge and washed away a road and infrastructure connected to two hydropower projects planned in the north of Georgia. The destruction included the water intake for the 19 megawatt Larsi hydropower plant and the derivation pipes for the Dariali hydropower plant.
Read moreFinancial trouble of Ukraine’s nuclear operator calls Europe’s financial support into question
Blog entry | 6 June, 2016Energoatom is currently unable to serve loans from European institutions. Even though a European Commission study assessed the company’s credit worthiness, Ukrainian taxpayers now have to pay back part of the loans.
Read moreEight arrested in protest against Georgian dam
Blog entry | 24 May, 2016Protests against large dams in Georgia’s Svaneti mountains have led to confrontations with police. Locals are losing patience over the protracted consultation process on the project.
Read moreHappy birthday, Khadija!
Blog entry | 24 May, 2016A graffiti in Warsaw marks the upcoming birthday of imprisoned Azeri journalist Khadija Ismayilova.
Read moreTime for Europe to stop supporting Ukraine’s risky nuclear power sector
Blog entry | 18 May, 2016Three decades after Chernobyl, nuclear power remains a mainstay of Ukrainian energy supply. Despite persistent safety problems, the Ukrainian government has approved lifetime extensions for four of its 15 nuclear units since 2010, and two more could be greenlighted later this year. What is more, Ukraine’s nuclear sector survives in part thanks to European support. The EU needs to stop supporting Kiev’s risky nuclear energy programme.
Read moreNo security for Europe from the Southern Gas Corridor
Blog entry | 16 May, 2016With an ownership structure heavily influenced by Azerbaijan, the European Commission’s flagship energy project may end up being a costly piece of infrastructure that does not increase Europe’s energy security but offers a tool for political leverage to the authoritarian Aliyev regime.
Read moreFor European public finance, where will all roads lead from Paris?
Blog entry | 22 April, 2016Signing the Paris Agreement is an important step in Europe’s contribution to the global effort to tackle the climate crisis. But funding this commitment necessarily passes through the public coffers. To kick-start the much-needed energy transition– by swiftly cutting emissions to reach the global carbon neutrality the Paris Agreement prescribes for the second half of this century –a change of paradigm in public investments in energy infrastructure is needed.
Read moreEurope’s Keystone XL: Planned gas pipeline is reckless
Blog entry | 15 April, 2016The Southern Gas Corridor risks locking in higher fossil fuel dependence and wasting colossal amounts of public money.
Read moreAid Transparency Index: improvements for Europe’s multilateral development banks but still a long way to go
Blog entry | 13 April, 2016As the 2016 Aid Transparency Review shows some improvement for the two main European lenders, they are still far from reaching satisfying transparency standards.
Read moreLost in transition: Far-reaching changes needed as European bank marks 25 years
Press release | 11 April, 2016On April 15, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will be marking its 25th anniversary. Reflecting on two decades of monitoring the EBRD’s policies and projects, a new report from CEE Bankwatch Network raises concerns about a growing gap between the bank’s operations and its mandate.
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