Prague workshop debates the negative impacts of uranium mining in Namibia and the Czech Republic
November 15, 2015
A workshop organised in Prague by Calla and Bankwatch member group Centre for Transport and Environment (CDE) brought together experts from local governments, scientists, medical practitioners and active citizens. The workshop “Diagnosis: Uranium dreams and nightmares” offered the unique chance to learn about the uranium industry in Namibia from Bertchen Kohrs, president of EarthLife Namibia, who is working to protect local communities and the environment from the harmful impacts of uranium mining.
Letter to government of Namibia: request for access to information about the Tsumeb smelter
October 9, 2015
The Tsumeb smelter in Namibia belongs to Dundee Precious Metals, a Canadian company that operates and develops gold, copper and silver mines in Bulgaria, Armenia and Serbia. Investigating complaints about local pollution, Bankwatch member group Za Zemiata (BG) repeatedly requested access to environmental information from the Namibian government – to no avail. Read more about the Tsumeb smelter on our blog >>
Conference: Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals in Hungary
October 1, 2015
On September 16, Hungarian Bankwatch member group MTVSZ (National Society of Conservationists) co-organised the biggest conference on the Sustainable Development Goals in Hungary. Together with the HAND Association, MTVSZ prepared specific proposals for the Hungarian government that can help implement the SDGs in a way that looks beyond the treatment of symptoms and addresses the root causes of inequality, climate change, poverty, etc.
Guest post: Throwing evidence to the wind? The World Bank continues pushing PPPs
September 30, 2015
Although World Bank research and documents acknowledge the limitations of public-private partnerships the bank continues to push PPPs despite concerns.
Financing the post-2015 agenda – the problematic role of development banks
September 24, 2015
The heavy involvement of international financial institutions in the post-2015 development agenda raises serious questions for civil society around the world on whether the SDGs will manage to address the root causes of inequality, poverty and environmental degradation.
EIB board approves climate lending strategy, greens say it’s full of holes
September 22, 2015
The board of the European Investment Bank (EIB) on Tuesday approved a new climate lending strategy, which held the climate-focused portion of the bank’s total lending at 25% but aims to take climate considerations into account in all disbursements and focus on projects with more impact.
CSOs key points for the forthcoming EIB climate policy
July 16, 2015
In this letter to EIB, civil society organisations point out that the EIB’s forthcoming climate policy cannot only be limited to repackaging previous climate commitments or solely focusing on technical incremental changes. In the framework of the new EU 2030 climate and energy targets and the forthcoming international climate conference in Paris, ambitious new policy commitments are indispensable to make the EIB credible.
Development finance takes centre stage in Riga
July 10, 2015
In June, Latvian Green Movement co-organised the high-profile Riga International Roundtable Financing for Development: Role of EU Member States. Participants included policy makers, journalists, representatives of development finance institutions and civil society and academics. At the event, countries’ positions on and alternative solutions to development finance were complemented by a view on successes and challenges of development finance so far.
Transforming development finance? Europe’s multilateral lenders fail on aid transparency
June 4, 2015
The recently published 2015 Aid Transparency Review concludes that the European Union is off track from meeting its aid transparency commitments. Europe’s two multilateral development banks are indicative of the altogether rather disappointing outcome.
Tax dodging, development and European public banks
April 22, 2015
A new report highlights how the weak taxation policy of the European Investment Bank is undermining its ability to serve public interest in Europe and the Global South at a time when the use of tax haven is exposed as one of the most important barriers to development.
