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towards climate-friendly alternatives requires massive investments, especially in central and eastern Europe, where outdated infrastructure and a reliance on fossil fuels persists.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
From coal to clean energy: A Romanian initiative for sustainable employment
Blog entry | 5 August, 2024The transition to a low-carbon economic model is a radical paradigm shift that requires transformation at all levels, from individual behaviour to entire economic sectors. But it’s also an unprecedented opportunity to reinvent our relationship with the economy, one that respects nature and planetary boundaries.
Read moreEstonia’s young heroes leading the just transition charge
Blog entry | 2 August, 2024Among the cases highlighting the role of young people in just transition regions across Europe, the establishment of a youth-led climate assembly in Ida-Virumaa, Estonia has been a notable success story.
Read moreEU-funded project launches to scale private investment in biodiversity
Bankwatch in the media | 10 July, 2024Dubbed Bio-Capital and funded under the Horizon Europe scheme, the project will run until Dec. 2027 and see the collaboration of 17 …
Read moreRelated publications
Keeping the promise: Why the Just Transition Fund must be maintained in the next EU budget
Joint statement | 18 September, 2024 | Download PDFThis joint statement lays out why the Just Transition Fund should be extended into the next EU budget, and offers recommendations to guide further improvements within the next programming period to deliver results that contribute to both EU cohesion and climate neutrality.
Mission letter: How climate and environmental crises should be prioritised as part of the European Union’s long-term budget for 2028-2034
Letter | 9 September, 2024 | Download PDFThis is a fictional mission letter issued by the President of the European Commission to a fictional ‘Commissioner for a Transformative Budget’ intended to illustrate how the climate and environmental crises should be prioritised as part of the European Union’s long-term budget for 2028–2034.
Financing the Renovation Wave: How to align EU funding with new building legislation
Briefing | 6 September, 2024 | Download PDFThis briefing looks at how the new legislative framework for the building sector might affect the financing support needed.
