Western Balkans countries invest at least 2.4 times as much in coal as in wind power
May 26, 2016
All the Western Balkans countries have committed to increase their share of renewable energy by 2020 to reach between 25 and 40 percent of their energy mix, as part of their obligations under the Energy Community Treaty. Yet this is far from obvious when examining their investment plans for new power generation capacity. Governments are actively planning to build 2800 MW of new coal plants with construction cost of at least EUR 4.5 billion. In contrast, these countries are only planning to build around 1166 MW of wind power plants, at an estimated cost of EUR 1.89 billion.
Update on resettlements at Kolubara mine and other EPS operations
May 11, 2016
In October 2015 the independent Project Complaint Mechanism (PCM) of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development found that the bank breached its environmental and social policy with regards to safeguarding the rights of communities impacted by mining operations of the Serbian state energy company EPS.
Issues with Serbian electricity company EPS need to be addressed within new EBRD loan
February 1, 2016
As part of its new EUR 200 million loan to the Serbian electricity company EPS, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development aims to assist with “identifying opportunities to improve environmental, safety, social, and labour governance and capacity, and on helping EPS to develop a more strategic approach to managing these issues”. As outlined in this briefing, so far the EBRD’s fifteen-year partnership with EPS has not brought visible improvements in company practices and it is high time for the bank to prove that its engagement can add value.
Serbia: EBRD Admitted Mistakes with EPS
December 15, 2015
CEKOR had a meeting with the EBRD Director for Serbia, Daniel Berg, at which the Report on EBRD Complaint Mechanism was considered. In accordance with the undertaken contractual obligations, the EPS should enhance its procedures not only for the case of Vreoci, to which the complaint referred, but also at all locations where it performs business operations.
“EBRD priznao greške sa EPS-om”
December 9, 2015
Beograd — EBRD je priznao greške načinjene sa EPS-om u okviru projekata izvođenih u Vreocima i od preduzeća se očekuje da unapredi svoje procedure, saopštava CEKOR. Kako je navedeno na sastanku predstavnika CEKOR-a i direktora EBRD za Srbiju Danijela Berga, organizacija očekuje da EPS ubrza raseljavanje Vreoca, kao i da se angažuje i na društveno odgovornom raseljavanju domaćinstava obuhvaćenih zaštitnim zonama rudarenja u selima Junkovac, Radljevo, Baroševac, Zeoke u kolubarskom i sela Drmno u kostolačkom regionu.
Abschied von der Kohle
November 24, 2015
Ein globales Netzwerk hat dem Klimawandel den Kampf angesagt und will Investoren zwingen, Kohle-, Öl- und Gaskonzernen das Kapital zu entziehen. [VIDEO]
Vreoci: Kuće počele naglo da pucaju
November 7, 2015
Evropska banka za obnovu i razvoj prekršila je sopstvene procedure kada je 2011. godine Elektroprivredi Srbije odobrila kredit od 80 miliona eura. Kredit je namijenjen unapređenju životne sredine Rudarskog basena Kolubara. Na osnovu prigovora koji je uputilo Ekološko društvo Vreoci, interna kontrola u Evropskoj banci utvrdila je da prilikom odobravanja kredita nisu uzeti u obzir svi ekološki aspekti. Na to odavno ukazuju eko aktivisti naselja Vreoci, koje se nalazi na samom obodu rudarskog bazena Kolubara. Njihovu priču ima Jelena Milutinović.
EBRD policy breaches at Serbia coal mine confirmed by bank’s own complaint mechanism
October 29, 2015
Prague, Belgrade – A day after the Board of Directors of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) approved a new EUR 200 million loan for Serbia’s electric utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS), an internal review at the Bank finds that it breached its own environmental and social policy when approving the previous EUR 80 million loan to the same company.
CSOs deliver over 16 000 signatures for a cleaner energy future in Tirana
October 16, 2015
Tirana, Albania – A group of CSOs from South East Europe (SEE) delivered over 16 000 petition signatures to Miguel Arias Cañete, EU Commissioner for Energy and Climate Action and Co-Chair of the Ministerial Council of the Energy Community today before its meeting in Tirana, Albania.
[Campaign update] Petition to clean up southeast Europe’s energy system
September 7, 2015
By now regular readers of the Bankwatch blog will know that the energy system in southeast Europe is corrupt, dirty and inefficient. But we now have an opportunity to change it.
