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Karaganda, Kazakhstan: Why are public concerns about a risky wastewater project being ignored?

24 April, 2025

Residents of Karaganda, a major industrial city in central Kazakhstan, originally welcomed plans to modernise the larger of its two wastewater treatment plants with the help of a loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). However, the design of the project – revealed during public hearings – has prompted significant concerns among both citizens and experts. Over the past year, a local civil society organisation has been advocating for a review of the design, highlighting technical flaws and violations of stakeholder engagement obligations.

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Pedalling forward in Daugavpils: Towards a cyclist-friendly city

14 April, 2025

On the afternoon of 28 March, residents, municipal representatives, and locally elected officials joined a panel of experts in the Latvian city of Daugavpils to discuss the future of cycling in the city. The aim of the event was to identify existing challenges as well as practical solutions that might encourage more residents to choose cycling as a regular mode of transport.

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Unlocking Serbia’s district heating potential: The public energy services company model in focus

11 April, 2025

The Western Balkans is facing a pressing energy crisis, largely due to outdated district heating systems that waste vast amounts of energy. In Serbia alone, district heating networks serve over 700,0000 households, yet inefficiencies have led to energy losses of up to 12 per cent, resulting in higher costs and increased greenhouse gas emissions. Energy consumption per square metre is nearly triple that of western Europe, mainly due to poor insulation and ageing infrastructure. Rising energy prices and reliance on often imported fossil fuels make energy efficiency an economic necessity.

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Jiříkov’s path to a clean energy future

20 March, 2025

The profound transformation of Europe’s energy sector in response to climate change and the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions is having a particularly significant impact on regions that have long relied on fossil fuels, especially coal mining.

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Central Asia: environmental groups and scientists call on international financial institutions to preserve key freshwater bodies and stop supporting destructive hydropower projects

14 March, 2025

The future of Central Asia’s key rivers and lakes is at risk, warn international environmental groups Rivers without Boundaries, International Rivers, Friends of the Earth US, Urgewald and CEE Bankwatch Network in a formal request sent today to the World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), European Investment Bank (EIB), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), Islamic Development Bank (ISDB) and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

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