Secret negotiations and fossil fuels plague planning of EU’s just transition away from coal
December 15, 2021
The public has largely been kept in the dark by Member State governments in central and eastern Europe about their plans to move EU regions away from a dependency on coal, leaving the door open for other funding schemes to support fossil fuels projects.
Bern Convention to investigate hydropower damage to the upper Neretva River in Bosnia and Herzegovina
December 3, 2021
Bosnia and Herzegovina will be subject to a fact-finding mission for its failure to protect the upper Neretva river from eight planned hydropower plants, following a decision taken by the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention (1) today. The Convention’s decision comes in response to a complaint submitted by environmental organisations last year.
Loan guarantee for Bosnia’s Tuzla 7 coal plant confirmed as illegal
November 30, 2021
A public loan guarantee for the planned Tuzla 7 coal power plant in Bosnia and Herzegovina is illegal under the Energy Community Treaty, the Ministerial Council of the Energy Community has confirmed today (Tuesday). If realized, the project would aggravate Tuzla’s air pollution and prevent Bosnia and Herzegovina decarbonising its economy for decades to come.
Members of the Romanian Parliament attempt to scapegoat environmental NGOs for increasing electricity and gas prices
November 29, 2021
Romanian environmental NGOs Agent Green, Bankwatch Romania and Eco-civica were summoned last Friday to a hearing in front of a parliamentary inquiry committee this Thursday (2 December) in what appears to be a thinly-veiled attempt to shift the blame for increasing electricity and gas prices onto civil society organisations.
Major setback on transparency at the EIB
November 18, 2021
Yesterday, the European Investment Bank (EIB) – the financial arm of the EU – approved a new Transparency Policy that will allow the bank to keep hiding information on projects it finances despite their potential impacts on people and the environment.
The EIB cannot become a ‘climate leader’ while failing on transparency
November 10, 2021
The European Investment Bank (EIB) – the financial arm of the EU – is about to approve a new Transparency Policy that will allow the bank to keep hiding information on projects it considers to finance despite their potential impacts on people and the environment.
New Bankwatch analysis: Tuzla, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, could be a regional leader in sustainable heating
November 8, 2021
A new analysis published today by CEE Bankwatch Network shows that it is technically possible to entirely replace the use of coal with sustainable renewable sources for both local power and heating in Tuzla, in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
As world leaders pledge to end coal, Serbia lets polluters continue illegal operations
November 5, 2021
The Serbian parliament is expected to allow top polluters, including its antiquated fleet of coal power plants, to operate without environmental permits for three more years, under amendments to legislation set to be adopted on Tuesday, 9 November.
Response: G20 ends public financing for international coal-fired power projects, we ask China to walk away from Western Balkan coal projects immediately.
November 1, 2021
G20 nations including China have agreed to ending public financing for international coal-fired power projects this year [1], following on from similar commitments by the G7 and the OECD.
Pljevlja has unique opportunity to clean up its heating system
October 25, 2021
Montenegro’s overdue coal phase-out should be taken as an opportunity to develop state-of-the-art heating in Pljevlja, which is entirely possible and economically viable, a new expert study commissioned by CEE Bankwatch Network shows.
