Guest post: A Balkan lesson for coal investors
January 28, 2014
When Dr. Kim, President of the World Bank, and leaders of other international financial institutions ponder funding new coal power projects this year – like the one in Kosovo – there’s one word that should be seared into their memories: Sostanj.
UPDATED: Slovenia continues to fall into the economic abyss of the lignite plant at Sostanj
January 24, 2014
Ljubljana – The scandal-marred lignite plant TES 6 at Sostanj in Slovenia will likely cost 1.44 billion euros (2 billion US), more than double than what was initially predicted, and is due to produce annual losses of 50 million euros, show calculations recently revealed by Slovenian media. These cost escalations, predicted by NGOs critical of the project, should constitute a word of caution for other countries in South-Eastern Europe that are considering building new coal capacities.
[Campaign update*] New legal complaint on Plomin C
January 17, 2014
Zelena akcija/Friends of the Earth Croatia has submitted a complaint to the Croatian Constitutional Court as part of its ongoing campaign to prevent the construction of the Plomin C power plant, which would be run on imported coal.
EBRD joins other financial institutions in restricting coal lending
December 10, 2013
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) approved today during a vote of its Board of Directors a new Energy Strategy. The document is meant to give guidance on how to strategically use the bank’s resources over the next years to promote energy security and affordability and avoid dangerous climate change.
EBRD soft on coal sector corruption, new analysis shows
December 9, 2013
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has been approving financing for coal projects over which corruption allegations loom, and in some cases even while official corruption investigations were underway, according to an analysis published by CEE Bankwatch Network today.
Coal and corruption – the case of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
December 9, 2013
The EBRD is about to approve a new energy strategy, yet it is unclear to what extent it will follow other public lenders in halting coal financing. In this paper we step away from the discussions on climate issues to take a look at another reason why the EBRD should be wary of investing in coal projects: corruption.
Guest post: End to UK coal investments overseas welcome – but it must include Kosovo
November 22, 2013
United in spirit with yesterday’s blog post on the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s coal lending, Visar Azemi from the Kosovo Civil Society Consortium for Sustainable Development calls on the UK government to not support the Kosova e Re lignite power plant via the World Bank and make its promise to end overseas coal financing a reality.
Dirty power plants in Western Balkans and Ukraine set to become EU priority
October 22, 2013
Belgrade – Several environmentally damaging coal and hydropower projects across the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova are likely to be included this Thursday on a priority list of projects of the European Commission-backed Energy Community, meaning they will be fast-tracked for financing over the next years.
Western Balkans and Ukraine: EC-backed Energy Community to prioritise coal plants that threaten EU long-term climate targets
October 22, 2013
The Western Balkans countries are aspiring to become members of the European Union. On 24 October the Ministerial Council of the EC-backed Energy Community will approve a list of priority energy infrastructure projects resulting from the Regional Energy Strategy known as Projects of Energy Community Interest (PECIs) for the Western Balkans, Moldova and Ukraine. These projects would be prioritised for fast-track approval and public financing.
Letter to Commissioner Potocnik: NGO concerns over the Transitional National Plans pursuant to the Industrial Emissions Directive 2010/75/EU
October 10, 2013
This letter to Commissioner Janez Potocnik outlines serious concerns regarding the optional “Transitional National Plan” (TNP) derogation of the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED). The TNPs provide an opportunity for the coal industry and governments to pollute more compared to the general pollution limits set by the IED. In some cases using this derogation makes retrofitting plants economically viable, because thanks to the derogation they are given more time to meet the IED pollution limits.
