Romania’s energy transition: to be or not to be
November 1, 2018
Facing numerous economic and environmental challenges, Romania’s energy industry needs a coherent, sustainable and stable action plan that prioritises transparency in decision-making and consultation of all involved. On 17 October, to identify the necessary measures, Bankwatch Romania organised a workshop titled Opportunities for transition to clean energy in Romania.
Bursting bubbles: greens and geeks of the world, unite!
October 26, 2018
In the age of fake news, providing fact-based arguments in environmental campaigns is crucial. Bankwatch has reached out to the technology-savvy community, to bring more robustness to the narrative.
EBRD – still fixated on gas despite IPCC warnings
October 15, 2018
In its new draft strategy for the energy sector, meant to guide the bank’s lending between 2019-2023, the EBRD gives too much prominence to gas as a so-called “bridging fuel” on the way to decarbonisation – much more prominence than is given to energy savings and even to sustainable renewables.
European public banks continue financing coal bonanza
October 1, 2018
The EIB and EBRD have been channelling billions of euros in public money to fossil fuels dependent companies, hampering the international community’s efforts to tackle climate change.
200 million euro EBRD loan to Serbian energy giant EPS under investigation
October 1, 2018
Prague, Belgrade – The independent grievance body of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has started investigating a EUR 200 million ‘restructuring loan’ granted in 2015 to Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS), the largest energy company in Serbia, following a complaint by CEE Bankwatch Network and Serbian environmental group CEKOR.
65 groups from 28 Countries tell EBRD and EIB to stop financing fossil fuels
September 28, 2018
The letter is written on the need to ensure the ongoing energy reviews at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Investment Bank are aligned with the Paris Agreement goals.
European public funding for fossil fuel-dependent companies
September 27, 2018
CEE Bankwatch Network follows closely the EBRD’s ‘sister institutions’ and actively advocates for improvement of their lending policies. As the European Investment Bank (EIB) is expected to review its 2013 ‘Screening and Assessment Criteria for Energy
Use of public money to support Tuzla 7 coal power plant must be investigated, shows new complaint
September 25, 2018
Sarajevo, Prague – Plans to use public money to guarantee a Chinese loan for the planned Tuzla 7 coal power plant could be illegal and need to be investigated by the Energy Community Secretariat, according to a formal complaint submitted to the regional body today by the Aarhus Resource Centre, Sarajevo, and CEE Bankwatch Network.
Six years later, a criminal investigation into illegal environment permits finally begins in Romania
September 13, 2018
In 2012, almost one hundred permits were issued to Oltenia Energy Complex (OEC), allowing the company to cut down hectares of forest to make way for coal mines. The permits were issued illegally, however, as Bankwatch Romania proved in court over the past six years. After many lawsuits and complaints to the relevant authorities, a sign of progress came this summer when the Romanian Ministry for Environment informed criminal investigation bodies about this situation.
Energy doublethink: contradictions at the EU bank in combatting climate change
September 11, 2018
See the web-version of the report. This year the European Investment Bank is expected to review its 2013 ‘Screening and Assessment Criteria for Energy Projects’, also known as its Energy Lending Criteria, which governs the types of projects the bank ca
