Europe has ambitions to become a global leader in the fight against climate breakdown. Transforming the continent’s energy systems and shifting towards climate-friendly alternatives requires massive investments, especially in central and eastern Europe, where outdated infrastructure and a reliance on fossil fuels persists.
The good news is that the EU has the financial means to fund this transformation. The challenge is ensuring that the investments of today are geared towards addressing the climate crisis and Europe’s declining state of nature.
We know that when people have a voice in investment decisions, the results speak for themselves: more acceptance and ownership of spending and a greater chance that harmful and wasteful projects are avoided.
We work to ensure that EU financial flows address the climate crisis and do no harm to people and nature. We do this by involving the public in the design and spending of EU investments.
IN FOCUS
Just transition
Countries across central and eastern Europe are committing to quit coal and shale oil. Now the task is to ensure that the just transition is driven from the bottom up and leaves no one behind as we move towards a sustainable energy future.
Building back biodiversity
Threats facing biodiversity are increasing alongside the drivers of the climate crisis. But investments in climate protection should not come at the expense of those that can help biodiversity. The two crises of climate and biodiversity are interconnected and both must be tackled together, because only by investing in nature can we tackle climate change.
RegENERate: Mobilising Regions for Energetic Re-development and Transformative NECPs
The overall objective of the project is to support the CEE countries’ contribution to the EU efforts towards a net-zero emissions future. The project will contribute to more ambitious and effective climate and energy policies in CEE, backed by a long-term commitment to phase out fossil fuels, improve energy efficiency and promote renewable energy.
RePower the Regions: Ambitious and inclusive clean energy plans for repowering the just transition regions
The participation and leadership of carbon-intensive regions in transitioning to clean energy solutions are prerequisites for achieving EU climate neutrality by 2050. Building on this premise, RePower the Regions aims to ensure that the regions’ clean energy plans are aligned with EU 2030 climate goals and have strong support locally, and to provide practical guidelines and roadmaps on how to repower the regions.
Latest news
Western Balkans: Civil society groups call on European Commission to strengthen support for just transition
Press release | 4 October, 2024A group of civil society organisations, including CEE Bankwatch Network, are calling on the European Commission and other actors to step up support for a just transition in coal-dependent communities in the Western Balkans.
Read moreBridging the mobility gap: Tackling transport poverty in rural Latvia
Blog entry | 2 October, 2024On 18 September, I and my fellow colleagues from the Latvian-based environmental organisation Green Liberty teamed up with a researcher from Riga Technical University to visit Viļāni, a small town in eastern Latvia. We met with 20 local people to discuss issues with transport poverty.
Read moreWestern Balkans: NGOs launch proposals to revive EU’s flagging Green Agenda
Press release | 1 October, 2024A group of 18 civil society organisations has today submitted proposals (1) to overhaul the EU’s Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, in advance of an official update scheduled later this year. They aim to increase the initiative’s focus, transparency and results and ensure more effective use of EU funds for environmental protection.
Read moreRelated publications
The great coal jobs fraud (2018 UPDATE)
Study | 28 June, 2018 |This study, an update of our November 2016 analysis, examines the claims and finds that in almost all cases, they are exaggerated. In fact, even the current levels of employment cannot be maintained and some companies such as Elektroprivreda Srbije and
The European Commission’s platform for coal regions in transition: case studies highlight tilt toward coal companies
Briefing | 5 June, 2018 | Download PDFWithout adhering to the partnership principle, the Platform for Coal Regions in Transition risks benefiting coal companies at the expense of local communities, in blatant contradiction to its stated goal. In Poland and Slovakia, lack of transparency an
Guide: Eight steps for a just transition
Briefing | 2 November, 2017 | Download PDFJust transition is a development model based on locally designed public policies to create the context for a fair income and a decent life for all workers and communities affected by pollution reduction measures. This guide offers some pointers for ini
