Racing against the clock: Kenyan villagers under imminent threat of eviction by project under EU’s bank’s appraisal
June 19, 2019
Today’s European Development Days forum in Brussels with its aspirational motto ‘building a world which leaves no one behind’ is an ironic backdrop to what is happening in the remote parts of Kenya, where a whole community is facing a threat of forced eviction by a project under appraisal of the EU’s own house bank. About a hundred people were demanded to abandon their homes by tomorrow – 20 June.
A treasured World Heritage Site in Bulgaria is under threat from a trans-European road network – Equal Times
June 19, 2019
From Valentin Stoichkov’s terrace, the views over the Pirin Mountains are breathtaking. The deputy mayor of the small town of Kresna, in south-western Bulgaria, has built an extension to his family’s modest dacha (summer home) in the foothills of this
OUR PAST WORK ON: Export Credit Agencies (ECAs)
June 18, 2019
With many billions of dollars at their disposal, export credit agency finance far outpaces that of development banks and yet avoids the same public scrutiny. Most money flows into large infrastructure projects in politically-volatile countries that oft
A false solution to a real problem?
June 14, 2019
New research by Bankwatch shows energy and climate plans (NECPs) in 7 CEE countries over-rely on unsustainable biomass to reach their renewable energy objectives.
Analysis of biomass in NECPs
June 14, 2019
This publication analyses the National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) in Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Slovakia and these countries’ measures to support forms of wood biomass. The majority of these countries plan logging an
Just Transition plan for Slovak coal region Upper Nitra to be aproved today
June 12, 2019
The Upper Nitra regional parliament is today approving a plan for the region’s transition away from coal, which was created by the Slovak government based on inputs from the local community.
In Georgia, leaked contract shows Nenskra hydropower project to cost country USD 60 million a year
June 10, 2019
For immediate release. Prague, Tbilisi – A leaked contract between the Georgian government and the company behind the Nenskra hydropower project includes terms that indicate the project will incur massive losses for the state, according to a report broadcast on 8 June by the national television station Rustavi 2 [1].
Protests at pan-European motorway project as time runs out for key wildlife site
June 5, 2019
Dozens of activists from across Europe have protested and dropped a banner at an international road in Kresna gorge, Bulgaria, to protest against the lack of action from the European Commission and the Bulgarian government to save the key EU-protected wildlife site.
New study finds climate and energy plans at odds with EU targets for circular economy and emissions reductions
June 5, 2019
For immediate release – Five countries in central and eastern Europe all plan a variety of waste incineration methods in their national energy and climate plans (NECPs), jeopardising their ability to meet mandatory European targets aimed at improving recycling rates, fostering a circular economy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the sector, finds a new report from CEE Bankwatch Network.
Waste incineration with energy recovery in the NECPs of Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Slovakia
June 4, 2019
Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Slovakia all plan to expand the use of waste incineration to generate energy (mostly heat) as part of their National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs). These plans will lead to much higher greenhouse gas emissions (
