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.
EIB issues first Sustainability Awareness Bond as Bankwatch urges it to shift away from fossil fuels
September 7, 2018
Just as the European Investment Bank (EIB), heavily present in South-East Europe (SEE), issued its first, EUR 500 million Sustainability Awareness Bond, CEE Bankwatch Network, one of the largest networks of environmental civil society organizations (CS
Environmentalism and democracy on the rise in Albania
August 1, 2018
Public participation is a prerequisite to functioning democracy. Environmental justice is crucial to sustainable development. But in Albania, a small, southeastern European country only recently emerging from decades-long, self-imposed isolation, democracy is still struggling to be born, and suffers from often being confused with unchecked capitalism.
Estonia’s dirty secret
July 25, 2018
Estonia is the second largest emitter of CO2 per capita in the European Union and by far the most carbon-intensive economy among the OECD countries. The reason for that is oil shale, sedimentary rock that has been mined in Estonia for electricity generation since the fifties and, since recently, have also been used for liquid diesel fuel production.
Momentum building in Latvia for transition to a low carbon economy and independence from Russia’s gas
July 24, 2018
On 12 July, Bankwatch member group in Latvia Green Liberty brought together a group of energy experts with Krisjanis Karins, a member of the European Parliament (MEP), to foster the energy transition towards low carbon development and a sustainable energy sector for the country.
First report from Parliament on next EU budget funding for energy and transport infrastructure shows more work to be done
July 23, 2018
On 19 July, two European Parliament Committees – on Industry, Research and Energy and Transport and Tourism – delivered their first draft report [1] outlining what they would like to see in the new Connecting Europe Facility, one part of the EU budget after 2020 that Bankwatch is monitoring because CEF provides funding for key pieces of energy and transportation infrastructure across the bloc.
In Latvia, people-led building restoration receives the largest-ever EU funding of its kind
July 19, 2018
A grant from the state-owned development financial institution ALTUM for multi-apartment residential building renovations in Salaspils, Latvia, is a success story about active residents and the support of their local municipality, which sets an important precedent for public mobilisation and participation.
A different kind of bucket challenge
July 18, 2018
In May this year, Romania made headlines after being referred to the European Union’s Court of Justice for failing to solve its air pollution problem. This breach is about three major cities – Bucharest, Iași and Brașov. But beyond the big cities, small communities are opposing polluting coal industries with nothing more than a bucket.
Funding flows into Eurasian gas pipelines
July 13, 2018
The World Bank Group has issued a guarantee for a US$1.1bn syndicated loan for the huge Trans-Antolian Natural Gas Pipeline (Tanap), which is to transport gas from Azerbaijan to Europe. Source: Funding flows into Eurasian gas pipelines
In Central Europe, activists fight for ‘just transition’ away from coal
July 12, 2018
As Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic start phasing out coal, campaigners argue that all actors – including small entrepreneurs, communities and civil society – must be part of the process. Source: In Central Europe, activists fight for ‘just tran
