Climate campaigners grapple with constraints of corona-era activism
March 8, 2021
Environmentally damaging construction continues while activists’ ability to respond is hampered by virus restrictions.
EU Recovery funds: where is the support for District Heating?
March 5, 2021
District Heating is an efficient way to heat homes, particularly in a country like Latvia where 58% of its primary energy consumption is used for heating. But Selīna Vancāne at Riga City Council is very concerned that the draft EU Recovery plans do not include any support under the climate goals for district heating projects. Perhaps it’s because of a blind spot: most of Europe is prioritising individual heating units powered by electricity. Meanwhile, Latvia is tacking the issue of fuel sources for district heating. There’s gas (not clean, must be imported from Russia), woodchips (plenty of local supply, but has sustainability limits), and much better solutions like solar. Vancāne offers the case study of Salaspils Siltums, built in 6 months, which provides solar district heating to 85% of a town of 18,000 people. She urges the EU to fund both district heating and the new clean solutions it can use. The results can be cost effective, sustainable, efficient and curb emissions.
Why is the EIB still hiding one-third of its lending?
March 4, 2021
The EU’s house bank must keep up with its peers on disclosure of financial intermediary investments
Why is the EU’s house bank still hiding one-third of its lending?
March 3, 2021
The EIB’s lending through intermediary banks is often claimed to be confidential. But this is public money, and the bank’s peers are increasingly doing better. As the EIB reviews its Transparency Policy, it’s high time to up its game.
Potențialul regenerabil al României riscă să rămână neexploatat
March 3, 2021
Bucuresti – 03 martie 2021 -nÎn prezent, în România nu există un sistem de sprijin coerent pentru instalarea de noi capacități regenerabile …
The right to access information: Transparency is a two-way process
February 24, 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.
Public partnership is a precondition for a green recovery
February 18, 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.
Bankwatch’s request to the EBRD Board regarding Corridor Vc South Mostar Section
February 17, 2021
Request to the EBRD Board Members regarding EBRD Management response to Bankwatch report “Connecting or Dividing?” and postponement of the decision on Corridor Vc.
ODS8. Greenpeace exige la inclusión de la sociedad civil en la gestión y el destino de los fondos europeos de recuperación se decidan contando con la sociedad civil
February 17, 2021
Greenpeace insiste en la necesidad de caminar hacia una Recuperación Verde y Justa que sería viable con una inversión equivalente …
Greenpeace pide que la gestión y el destino de los fondos europeos de recuperación se cuente con la sociedad civil
February 14, 2021
Según un análisis de la Climate Action Network y Bankwatch, España incumple todos los requisitos demandados por la Comisión Europea para la …
