Pumped storage plants are not green investments
December 10, 2008
In November 2008, the National Environmental Investment Agency of Ukraine decided to direct money from the International Greenhouse Gases (GHG) Emissions Trading into the construction of pumped storage plants (PSPs). Yet PSPs totally contradict the idea, as they do not lead to the decrease of carbon emissions and will harm the environment.
South-east Europe energy policies
December 8, 2008
South-east Europe (SEE) is at the hub of several contradictory factors influencing the development of its energy systems. On one hand, it is endowed with plentiful sources of renewable energy and has vast potential for increasing energy efficiency. On the other its legacy of communist-era power plants and inefficient transmission and distribution systems means that electricity generation continues to be associated with large, centralised, highly polluting facilities, or in some cases – particularly Albania – ageing and unreliable large hydropower plants.
Letter to EBRD president regarding financing for several highway sections in Slovakia
December 5, 2008
Recently the Slovak parliament adopted Act 669/2007 which allows motorways to be built on private property that has not been bought or expropriated at the time of construction. This creates favorable conditions for private investors engaged in building highways under public-private partnership ( PPP ) schemes. The act directly violates the right to the peaceful enjoyment of possessions guaranteed by the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and its protocols, which is the basic norm of the EU in the area of human rights.
A letter to Kazakh president Nazarbayev regarding special agreement with ArcelorMittal
December 2, 2008
The letter highlights the recently-signed memorandum of understanding between Kazakh government and ArcelorMittal Temirtau that grants the company a number of special conditions, like fixed pollution fees regardless of the actual volume of pollutant emissions, and a fixed corporate income tax regardless of the results of the company’s financial activities.
A letter to Ukrainian president Yuschenko regarding memorandum between government of Ukraine and ArcelorMittal Kriviy Rih
December 2, 2008
A letter to Ukrainian president exposes the agreement between the Ukraine’s government and ArcelorMittal. In that agreement the company asks for reduced energy rates and delayed implementation of energy saving projects, while, on the contrary, the EBRD has lended money for modernization and improving the energy efficiency of the plant. Download ukrainian version in Microsoft Word format here.
Bankwatch Mail 38
December 1, 2008
In this issue: A fossil free EIB requires political will * South east Europe’s leaders to cling to carbon during COP 14 * Counting down to Copenhagen – counting on public money to do more for climate-friendly investments * No more excuses for IFI heel-dragging on renewables in emerging markets * EBRD carbon factor: Readers decide * Many cooks stirring Albania’s carbon soup * Looking beyond nuke bickering in the Baltics * EU-Ukraine energy cooperation needs a rethink * World Bank is accomplishing mission impossible in CEE, says the Bank * PPP’s perils and pitfalls make it no panacea – new Bankw
Never mind the balance sheet – the dangers posed by public-private partnerships in central and eastern Europe
November 27, 2008
In recent years public-private partnerships (PPPs) have been heavily promoted in central and eastern Europe (CEE), often giving the impression that where infrastructure is concerned, PPPs are the only game in town. Yet behind the plethora of conferences, workshops and publications, few CEE countries have implemented more than two or three PPP projects, and even fewer truly successful projects.
An approach to Barroso regarding taxpayers-backed loans for the car industry
November 19, 2008
This letter focuses on a loan proposal from the EIB for the car industry. The bank already funded companies that are producers of models with high fuel consumption while progress on improving fuel efficiency has ground to a halt. This projected loan is in no way relevant to the proposed European policy to set lower future levels of CO2 emissions. Also the loan itself is an extremely significant figure and equals 80 euros per EU citizen.
Follow up letter to DG Regional policy regarding controversial transport projects – Prague ring road (R1) and Katowice-Vienna TENT connection in South Moravia (R52 / R55 motorways)
November 14, 2008
This letter highlights problems with two controversial transport projects, the Prague Ring Road and Katowice – Vienna connection proposed under the TEN-T program. Specifically in the case of the Prague Ring Road, these issues include nuclear safety regulations, inappropriate traffic mitigation measures and changes to the land use plan. Problematic issues with the Katowice – Vienna connection include environmental and transport efficiency concerns.
Briefing paper about the ‘Gazela’ resettlement process
October 20, 2008
