New ‘Comply or close’ report is out! The end of 2025 marked 8 years since coal power plants in the Western Balkans had to meet new air pollution standards.  The Western Balkan governments must finally take responsibility for a managed coal phase-out and hold the energy utilities accountable for their lack of action.

Two years after the adoption of the Nature Restoration Regulation, EU Member States are now working on their national restoration plans. One element will be crucial for their successful implementation: adequate funding.  

To support national planning, CEE Bankwatch Network and EuroNatur, in cooperation with national partners, led a study in five Member States – Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Hungary and Croatia – to estimate financing needs for effective nature restoration. 

In Poland, hydrogen-powered public transport – including refuelling stations and hydrogen production projects for transport – has been established almost exclusively through substantial public funding. However, projects that have already been suspended, cancelled or failed for financial reasons raise questions about whether the sector can survive in a market-driven environment.

Together with 27 civil society organisations, we have issued a joint statement calling on the EBRD to strengthen its strategy. They urge the Bank to adopt a more ambitious, rights-based approach that tackles backlash and addresses structural inequalities to ensure inclusive and accountable development outcomes.

Despite implementation challenges, the Just Transition Fund has delivered impacts that go beyond infrastructure and economic restructuring, supporting governance capacity, strategic thinking, and greater societal acceptance of change. This report, therefore, seeks to explain why continued and targeted support for regions in transition remains essential.