Local budgets and the reconstruction of Ukraine
November 30, 2023
In the first part of the series ‘Ukrainian communities at the forefront of reconstruction efforts: Financial sources and their accessibility for municipalities’, we examine the problems of access to finance for reconstruction at the community level and explore the possibilities of financing the needs of municipalities through extra-budgetary funding, including international financial institutions.
A Latvian forest the size of 237 football pitches cut down for an industrial park
November 17, 2023
A pristine biodiverse forest in eastern Latvia is being cleared to make way for an industrial park. Even though the project has yet to be approved, half the forest has already been logged to make way for the development. Not only that, the public consultation and social and environmental assessment have been inadequate. The project promoters now expect getting the green light.
Just transition case study: Żyrardów – regeneration and a city reinvented
November 3, 2023
This case study presents the revitalisation process of Żyrardów, a city in Poland.
Guidelines for selecting just transition projects
October 10, 2023
This guide is intended to help local decision-makers select projects aimed at achieving a sustainable energy transition in a diverse, objective and fair manner. It is hoped that it will raise the level of ambition for sustainable solutions in the regions and enable funds to be spent in a way that is consistent with the just transition goals.
Thousands demand European development bank stops financing fossil fuels
September 27, 2023
Over 6200 emails have been sent to the European Bank for Reconstruction Development (EBRD) calling for its next energy policy to end financing for fossil fuels and step up investments in the energy transition.
Civil society groups urge the EBRD to rethink mining investments
September 20, 2023
Twenty civil society organisations from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Mongolia, Uganda, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, as well as seven international environmental and human rights organisations, are calling on the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to reconsider its approach to mining investments.
Romania’s fossil fuel-driven district heating plans are holding back a sustainable energy transition
August 23, 2023
A measure intended to replace Romania’s coal-fired plants with highly efficient combined heat and power (CHP) for use in district heating systems is slated for funding under Romania’s national recovery and resilience plan.
National energy and climate plans: catalysts for the energy transition or box-ticking exercises?
June 30, 2023
The following report shows how seven central and eastern European (CEE) countries are approaching the NECP revision and details how the context has changed since the initial NECPs were prepared in 2018 and 2019.
European Green Deal – workshop for NGOs
June 28, 2023
The event was dedicated to NGOs focused on the European Green Deal (EGD) and European funds. It aimed to provide representatives of civil society, particularly members of monitoring committees, with crucial knowledge of EU funds and their alignment with the EGD.
Agriculture: priorities for sustainable investments to aid Ukraine’s recovery
June 20, 2023
In this issue paper, we argue that the recovery of the agricultural sector should not solely focus on production growth goals but also prioritise the long-term sustainability of Ukraine as it progresses towards EU membership.