Local resistance to nightmare Albanian energy development scenario remains defiant, protestors demand a referendum
November 1, 2008
3000 citizens from the city of Vlora in Albania held a large protest rally this weekend at the coastal site that has been designated as the construction site for an oil and gas terminal and a thermo power plant. The protestors called on national institutions to respect their right to a local referendum on the constructions. They also urged the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) not to provide finance for projects that do not respect local public rights to participate in decision making and that will have strong negative impacts in the very sensitive area of Vlora Bay. [1]
Dead workers, stinking pollution and forced evictions: New report highlights ArcelorMittal’s global trail of destruction
May 13, 2008
A newly-formed coalition of environmental and community groups [1] – Global Action on ArcelorMittal – today released a report showing how local residents and workers around the world pay the price of ArcelorMittal’s success.
Three activists released pending trial for protesting against controversial oil terminal construction in Vlora
April 14, 2008
The district court in Vlora, Albania last week released three members of the Civic Alliance for the Protection of Vlora Bay [1] who were arrested and detained for two weeks after protesting against the construction of a hydrocarbons terminal in Vlora. The terminal, regarded by the protestors as bringing few benefits to the local economy in exchange for high environmental risks, is being built by the Italian investor La Petrolifera Italo Rumena. The project is currently seeking a EUR 15 million credit from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
EU funds for fifty harmful projects: NGOs announce ‘RegioScars’ – the three most ill-conceived projects in CEE countries
February 25, 2008
A new map with details of 50 environmentally damaging and economically dubious infrastructure projects in Central and Eastern Europe was launched by CEE Bankwatch Network and Friends of the Earth Europe in Brussels today [1]. Based on the most extensive investigation to date, the map entitled ‘Cohesion or Collision?’ shows controversial projects with a total cost of EUR 22 billion. The projects are either already financed, or planned to be financed, by EU structural and cohesion funds and/or the European Investment Bank (EIB) [2].
European Parliament passes resolution to end taxpayer support for fossil fuels projects
November 29, 2007
With a resounding majority (540 MEPs in favour), the European Parliament today passed a resolution on trade and climate change which calls for “the discontinuation of public support, via export credit agencies and public investment banks, for fossil fuel projects”. The step was widely welcomed by environmental and development NGOs campaigning on export credit agencies (ECAs) and the European Investment Bank (EIB).
Distribution of EU funds in Poland seen as flawed by local officials
October 18, 2007
The selection of projects for billions of euros of EU funding in Poland is widely perceived by Polish municipalities to be politically-driven and non-transparent, new research conducted by Bankwatch member group the Institute of Environmental Economics (IEE) has found.
Albanian referendum aims to put a break on Italian oil and gas plans for renowned Vlora Bay
October 12, 2007
Vlora, Albania – The city council of Vlora in Albania this week approved a citizens’ initiative to hold a public referendum on the development in the picturesque Bay of Vlora of a 200,000 ton oil and gas terminal that is being promoted by the Italian La Petrolífera Italo Rumena company. If constructed, the terminal would become another component of a controversial industrial and energy park located less than six kilometres north of Vlora, a city of more than 150,000 inhabitants.
Rosia Montana – no improvement in sight for tarnished gold project
August 30, 2006
The recent public debate organised in Bucharest to discuss the controversial USD 500 million Rosia Montana gold mine project have been disrupted and debased by the actions of the projects sponsor, the Canadian company Rosia Montana Gold Corporation (RMGC), allege Romanian groups. The Bucharest-based TERRA Mileniul III and the Centre for Legal Resources maintain that the discussions taking place as part of the gold project’s environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedure have been tainted by RMGC’s bussing in of rowdy supporters of the project and also because of crucial missing project documentation.
Is the EIB cooling climate change or fueling it? New report sceptical about EU bank’s investments in renewables
June 2, 2005
With the European Commission sponsored Green Week underway in Brussels, a new study has found that the European Investment Bank’s commitment to investing in renewable energy is in serious doubt owing to the EIB’s opaque information procedures and its definition of renewable energy projects.
World Bank Spins Renewable Energy Conference. Ignores Extractive Industries Review. Continues Oily Business As Usual.
June 3, 2004
Environmentalists and development advocates today decried the World Bank’s announcement of support for renewable energy as mere spin. Stating that the proposed increase is marginal at best and does nothing to address the Bank’s ongoing bias towards fossil fuels, the groups called on the Bank to adopt the recommendations of its own studies and phase out support for coal and oil while dramatically increasing its support for renewable energy.
