EBRD Public Information Policy review should look to EU and US transparency advances
May 10, 2013
This year’s flurry of reviews to EBRD sectoral, country and operational strategies has given civil society organisations plenty to think about and provide input on. However, in the case of at least one of the reviews, we already have a pretty good idea what we will say. Because we’ve said it before – several times.
EBRD Energy policy review – no more excuses, rhetoric or finessing
May 10, 2013
Energy is the watchword of the day, as we keep increasing the need for it, no matter the costs, apparently. Well, the costs do matter but they are distorted by subsidies old and new, for fossil fuels and for renewable energy sources, while the global business world is made to feel increasingly insecure by the price of carbon emissions.
EBRD financing new small hydro power projects in Ukraine: off on the wrong foot
May 10, 2013
In 2009 the EBRD established the EUR 50 million facility to support the development of small-scale projects in all renewable energy generation sectors, including hydro, wind, biomass and solar power. While the initiative is welcomed and timely, the first projects to be developed were not transparent practices in the project development, jeopardising the whole notion of renewable energy as sustainable and socially-acceptable.
Input for online questionnaire on Projects of Energy Community Interest
April 29, 2013
Our input expresses our main concern relating to the need to develop an energy sector in southeast and eastern Europe that is in line with EU environmental and climate policies and legislation, as well as one which addresses the increasing problem of energy poverty through sparing and efficient energy use. We underline the need for the PECIs projects to be in line with current and forthcoming EU legislation and policies on climate, environment, renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Ukraine’s Nukes Are in Breach of UN Convention
April 22, 2013
Kiev – Ukraine’s expansion of the lifetime of its old nuclear reactors is in breach of the UN Espoo Convention, ruled the body monitoring the implementation of this international agreement, because Kiev went ahead with the prolongation of the use of its old reactors without assessing the impact this may have on neighbouring countries.
Letter to EBRD: Espoo Convention confirms Ukraine’s non-compliance with Ukraine’s international obligations regarding nuclear reactors’ lifetime-extensions
April 22, 2013
The Implementation Committee under the Espoo Convention concluded in March 2013 that the extension of the life-times of two nuclear reactor units at the Rivne NPP are a case of non-compliance with Ukraine’s international obligations. The two units are part of a, EBRD financed project and got their life-time extensions in 2010 without preparing an environmental impact assessment (EIA) and with no information provided to potentially affected neighbouring states.
The climate crisis and the role of Europe’s public banks
April 22, 2013
With each passing day, there is less chance that we will manage to keep the planet within the “safe” limit of two degrees Celsius global warming that would avoid disastrous climate change. The European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development can play a pivotal role in leveraging more private investment for sustainable energy. Both institutions are now reviewing their energy lending policies.
Shale gas in Poland: Government gags local opposition
April 12, 2013
Poland’s government is hasting to adopt liberal shale gas legislation. It tries to avoid any interference by factually excluding local opposition movements and by pre-empting the development of an EU wide framework on unconventional fossil fuels.
Guest post: A Russian journalist and Khimki forest activist is dead
April 10, 2013
The news circulated yesterday that Mikhail Beketov, a Russian journalist who campaigned against corrupt practices in connection to the planned highway construction through Khimki Forest, has died. This guest post by Mikhail Matveev and Ivan Smirnov, fellow Khimki activists, tells Beketov’s story.
Exposing the nuke-speak: responses to the EBRD’s justification for financing nuclear lifetime extensions
March 29, 2013
In an unprecedented effort to defend its support for Ukraine’s nuclear programme the EBRD publicly replies to some of our objections. Several colleagues sent us their (sometimes outraged) rebuttals, which we include here in our rejoinder to the bank’s arguments.
