Bern Convention: Western Balkan countries need to propose new protected natural areas
December 9, 2024
The Bern Convention on Friday set a new target and agreed on a roadmap for the expansion of the Emerald Network of protected areas. The aim of the Network is to preserve endangered species and habitats throughout Europe.
No just transition in sight for gas-distracted Serbian coal communities
December 2, 2024
Serbia’s underground coal mining regions, burdened by pollution and ancient technology, face an uncertain future, as plans to replace coal with fossil gas risk a new lock-in of unsustainable energy and distract authorities from unlocking the region’s untapped potential in agriculture, tourism, and green industries.
Emerald Network in the Western Balkans
November 27, 2024
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia are required to establish a sufficient number of Emerald Network sites as signatories to the Bern Convention. However, since 2011, not a single new site has been proposed and many stunning rivers remain unprotected. The #EmeraldForRivers campaign aims to support governments in expanding the Emerald Network.
Western Balkan governments are willing accomplices in Azerbaijan’s abuse of COP29. Will the EU act to defend climate integrity?
November 22, 2024
This year’s COP29 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Baku never looked like a serious attempt to tackle the global climate emergency. After all, its hosts plan to increase oil and gas production by a third over the next decade – hardly a sign of climate leadership.
While the EBRD shows off its green credentials at COP29, its North Macedonia gas pipeline loan still brings more questions than answers
November 19, 2024
The EBRD has made significant investments in solar, wind and energy efficiency in recent years. But these have been undermined by its continued support for fossil fuels. This April, a EUR 98 million loan for the Greece to North Macedonia pipeline was approved, despite major leaks in the Bank’s rationale for supporting it. Recent delays have further exposed the flawed assumptions behind the project, as our new briefing shows.
Greece – North Macedonia gas interconnector update
November 19, 2024
This briefing takes an updated look at the Greece – North Macedonia gas interconnector project and concludes that the arguments in favour of the project are still not supported by convincing evidence and that the claimed benefits are highly unlikely to materialise.
Romania’s gas-fuelled climate plan lacks green ambition
November 7, 2024
After missing the legal deadline of 30 June 2024 by four months, Romania has finally submitted its national energy and climate plan (NECP) to the European Commission. However, despite the delay, several critical issues remain unresolved from the draft plan submitted in December 2023.
Western Balkan cities: Pressure with no release
October 24, 2024
Using case studies from Belgrade, Sarajevo and Skopje, our report examines urban planning practices, the consequences of poor governance, and the need for sustainable infrastructure investment.
EU funds: Protecting or damaging nature? How to avoid harmful projects
October 21, 2024
The following recommendations how to prevent projects that damage nature from being financed in the future are based on the case studies from Croatia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Slovenia.
Western Balkans: Civil society groups call on European Commission to strengthen support for just transition
October 4, 2024
A 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.
