Biodiversity offsetting and other problems of the ESIA of Amulsar gold project in Armenia
January 8, 2019
This report is a critical analysis, with regard to the impacts on biodiversity, of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of the Amulsar Gold Project. Special attention has been paid to the biodiversity offsetting proposal for creation o
Social impacts of the Amulsar mine in Armenia
January 8, 2019
The Amulsar mine presents a number of considerable health and social risks to local communities, the tourism potential of the nearby Jermuk spa resort and the surrounding villages’ orchards, pastures and water supplies. The company Lydian Armenia prepa
Belgrade incinerator plans raise burning questions
December 19, 2018
The planned Belgrade waste incinerator in Serbia, being considered for financing by the EBRD, EIB and IFC, is incompatible with increasing waste prevention and recycling rates and endangers the already precarious livelihoods of the 12,000 people who currently live from waste-picking in the city. The recently published environmental and social impact assessment for the project fails to resolve either of these issues, as well as numerous others.
Belgrade Solid Waste PPP ESIA
December 18, 2018
Comments and questions in English and Serbian submitted during the public consultation on the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment.
State of play with the energy transformation in Romania
December 13, 2018
Europe’s commitment to the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development means that the EU must drive an energy transformation, but in Romania, inadequate financial support and a lack of political will still stand in the way of progress.
Shuakhevi Compliance Review
December 12, 2018
In view of the considerable public resources invested in the Shuakhevi HPP project and in view of the negative impacts on local people’s safety and livelihoods, as well on local resources needed for sustainable development of the Adjara region and Geor
In Slovakia, a shining example of EU funds for renewables and families
December 11, 2018
There is a sad joke in Slovakia that the country could become a museum for renewable energy sources (RES). Not because the Slovak physicist Aurel Stodola invented in 1928 the world’s oldest heat pump that still powers Geneva’s city hall, but because of its antiquated energy policy that lacks systematic support for renewables at the local and national levels.
Coal supplied by Hungary’s BAZ county mines to blame for growing air pollution
December 11, 2018
As new mines mushroom in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén (BAZ) county, Hungary, air pollution picks up the pace, our independent air monitoring shows. Authorities need to help people move towards cleaner heating systems and put an end to coal mining in the region.
EkoSvest calls on Macedonian government to move to more rational renewable energy support system
December 10, 2018
Environmental NGO Eko-svest has this week called on the Macedonian government not to continue subsidising new renewable energy plants through the guaranteed buy-off of electricity at a guaranteed price and to instead move to a more competitive system with lower costs for end consumers.
European Parliament warns Balkan countries to stop destructive hydropower
December 6, 2018
The European Parliament urged the EBRD and EIB to review their support for hydropower plant projects in its last week’s resolutions on the European Commission’s 2018 reports on Albania and Montenegro. The votes come as a clear sign that the European institutions are starting to reconsider their support for hydropower as green energy.
