The Bratislava bypass – a public-private partnership to get around traffic problems and debt statistics
December 19, 2016
In this report, Bankwatch and Counter Balance trace the murky story of the Bratislava bypass, a EUR 1.76 billion project supported by the Slovak government and promoted as the biggest project in central eastern Europe that was guaranteed through the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI).
Revealed: the EU’s flagship energy project is built by companies with a legacy of corruption
December 14, 2016
No less than 15 firms contracted to build the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP), the two main sections of the so-called Southern Gas Corridor, have been implicated in various forms of corruption in the past, according to a CEE Bankwatch Network report published today.
‘Southern Graft Corridor’ or the shady history of companies involved in Europe’s pet energy project
December 13, 2016
A new Bankwatch study reveals a worrying track record of criminal and corrupt activities among the companies that are building Europe’s flagship gas pipeline project, the Southern Gas Corridor.
Risky business – Who benefits from the Southern Gas Corridor
December 13, 2016
The Southern Gas Corridor, a string of pipelines meant to bring gas from Azerbaijan into Europe, is presented as a panacea for all ills and is set to benefit from some of the biggest loans in the history of European public banks. But as this report reveals, Europe’s flagship energy project is set to benefit a host of companies and individuals with a particularly shady track record. Several companies contracted to build the Southern Gas Corridor have a worrying history of corruption.
Reviewing the European Investment Bank’s carbon footprint methodology
December 8, 2016
The briefing makes recommendations for the European Investment Bank’s methodology for calculating greenhouse gas emissions, which is currently under review. It also provides case studies that illustrate the shortcomings of the bank’s current approach – most notably its strategy towards supporting gas projects.
Backdoor for coal subsidies remains half open under new EU rules
December 1, 2016
While it may seem like a gesture to coal-dependent countries such as Poland, the Winter Package of EU energy market rules, presented yesterday (30 November), will make using coal subsidies more difficult.
Skeletons are hiding in the closet of Europe’s energy policy – letter to Maroš Šefčovič on the EU’s support for nuclear energy
December 1, 2016
Accompanied by a public action, Bankwatch and Global 2000 presented European Commission vice-president Maroš Šefčovič with this open letter. The letter points out the inconsistencies behind European public money supporting lifetime extension of soviet era nuclear reactors in Ukraine, which are made in violation of international environmental conventions and with insufficient implementation of safety requirements. So far, the EU’s support for Ukraine is a bad precedent for nuclear decision-making across Europe. It is time to set things straight!
The sound and the fury: new film documents the plight of communities near Romanian coal plant
November 16, 2016
Oppressive noise and a cloud of dust engulf the residents of Roșia de Jiu and Rogojel, villages located next to Romania’s Rovinari power plant. In a new video, Bankwatch Romania has documented the toll that producing coal energy is having on these communities that live near the lignite mines, transport belts and power plant at Rovinari.
Too good to be true? Assessing one year of the Investment Plan for Europe
September 28, 2016
Europe is hemorrhaging cash in deeply unsustainable projects like motorways, airports and gas infrastructure.
The best laid plans – Why the Investment Plan for Europe does not drive the sustainable energy transition
September 28, 2016
This report analyses projects approved by the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) in its first year of operation. The fund should catalyse €315 billion in new investment, and play an important role in the fight against climate change. However, as the analysis finds, during the EFSI’s first year an additional €1.5 billion was earmarked for fossil fuel infrastructure, and 68% of transport investment is destined for carbon-intensive projects.
