Suggestions for integrating considerations of land concentration impacts into the EBRD’s safeguards
May 29, 2024
Based on our experience with the EBRD’s investments in the agricultural sector, we have worked with the Land Matrix Initiative to formulate recommendations for the EBRD to integrate considerations of the impact of land concentration into its safeguards.
From drainage to restoration: A new chapter for Estonia’s wetlands
May 28, 2024
In Estonia, drained peatlands are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and thus exacerbate climate change. Our case study highlights the success of a project aimed at restoring the water regime of a mire ecosystem, leading to a remarkable growth in vegetation and the recovery of multiple species.
Powering up Central and Eastern Europe: How the EU should step up
May 27, 2024
A new European Commission should build on the progress made and strengthen its support for the energy transition in central and eastern Europe.
This year’s Green Agenda Action Plan update must be participatory
May 22, 2024
This week, 30 civil society groups have written to the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and European Commission, asking for meaningful consultations on the update of the Action Plan for the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, planned to take place this year.
Destroying while rebuilding: Flawed hydro project set for Polish just transition region needs a rethink
May 7, 2024
Eastern Wielkopolska, one of Poland’s just transition regions, urgently needs to repair the damage caused by decades of lignite mining. One controversial hydrological project slated for the region aims to flood open pits and stabilise water levels. But while these measures appear to be positive steps towards making amends, the environmental impacts of the project have not been assessed, which is likely to result in a number of unintended and damaging consequences.
Open Letter on the Implementation of the RED in the European Union
April 29, 2024
In this letter, we urge the European Commission and Member States to explicitly exclude waste incineration from the scope of ‘waste heat’ targets in the RED, prioritize waste prevention and establish ambitious recycling target and invest in innovative technologies for clean energy generation and resource recovery.
Latvia considers a risky nuclear energy development path
April 24, 2024
Latvia already has a relatively high level of renewable energy production and, with many new wind and solar energy projects on the way, the country is not far from providing all the energy needed for its local consumption in annual terms. The greatest challenge remains ensuring a stable, balanced energy system. However, instead of planning for a 100 per cent renewables-based energy mix, the government has sparked a controversy by considering nuclear energy, a costly solution that would delay the transition.
Following the money: Bulgaria
April 9, 2024
This briefing provides an overview of the just transition envisioned in Bulgaria’s Territorial Just Transition Plan for the four regions designated to receive money from the Just Transition Fund.
Social cooperative as an energy cooperative: Legal and financial aspects of the operation
March 27, 2024
Date: 18 March 2024 The webinar ‘Social cooperative as an energy cooperative: Legal and financial aspects of operation’, organised by the Polish Green Network, the Polish National Association of Social Cooperatives’ Revision and the Habitat for Humanit
The Modernisation Fund: An open door for fossil gas in Romania
March 26, 2024
The Modernisation Fund is supposed to channel revenues from the EU’s carbon market into the energy transition in central and eastern Europe. But it’s actually being used to further deepen the region’s dependence on fossil gas.