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How are CEE governments planning to use EU funds for the transition of coal regions? New Bankwatch report gives journalists tools to monitor the process

3 March, 2021

Territorial Just Transition Plans (TJTPs) are a precondition for European Union Member States to access the EUR 17.5 billion Just Transition Fund (JTF). The plans must outline the expected process of transitioning away from a coal-based economy; the most affected territories and all types of impacts; what operations are envisaged; and how the process will ensure participation, monitoring and evaluation. TJTPs are developed at the sub-regional level; therefore, countries must produce documents for each territory where they plan to spend money from the Just Transition Fund.

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The right to access information: Transparency is a two-way process

24 February, 2021

Publish What You Fund’s DFI Transparency Initiative is finalising its latest working paper on environmental, social and governance (ESG) and accountability to communities. Ahead of its publication, Fran Witt (Economic Justice and Climate Change Consultant) and Fidanka Bacheva-McGrath (EBRD Policy Officer, Bankwatch) provide a CSO perspective on the transparency and accountability challenges for public development banks (PDBs). They argue that PDBs have much work to do in order to meet their commitments to the rights of project-affected communities.

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Divide and Rule: EBRD and EC decision-making on Corridor Vc South Mostar investments should not marginalise opponents of the valley route

22 February, 2021

Citizens from South Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, will be waiting with their whole hearts for the results of the upcoming EBRD Board meeting on 25 February. The meeting agenda has an item that will affect the lives of people in that area – Corridor Vc in FBH – Part 3 – Operation Change Report. In the week before the decision the EBRD client, JP Autoceste, in collaboration with the bank, has attempted to demonstrate support for the currently selected valley route, while excluding and marginalising local opponents.

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Public partnership is a precondition for a green recovery

18 February, 2021

With less than three months to go before national recovery and resilience plans must be submitted, Member States still refuse to consult with stakeholders about how they plan to spend nearly EUR 700 billion to deliver a green and sustainable recovery. Meanwhile, the European Commission has provided little clarity on its commitment to enforce strong consultation standards when assessing each recovery plan.

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12 years and counting: Pollution control investment at Bosnia’s Ugljevik coal plant still showing no results

16 February, 2021

Upgrades to the coal power plants in the Western Balkans that would bring down sulphur dioxide emissions are rare. But even where investments have been made, they have so far failed to deliver the much-needed results.

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