Open Letter on the Implementation of the RED in the European Union
April 29, 2024
In this letter, we urge the European Commission and Member States to explicitly exclude waste incineration from the scope of ‘waste heat’ targets in the RED, prioritize waste prevention and establish ambitious recycling target and invest in innovative technologies for clean energy generation and resource recovery.
Local authority planning for a just transition: Why Western Balkan coal regions should create their own redevelopment plans and how it can be done
April 26, 2024
From December 2020 to December 2023, the European Union implemented its first Initiative for coal regions in transition in the Western Balkans and Ukraine
Following the money: Poland
April 22, 2024
This briefing provides an overview of the just transition envisioned in the Polish Territorial Just Transition Plans for the four regions designated to receive money from the Just Transition Fund.
Cleaning up District Heating: Best technologies and real-life examples
April 18, 2024
Intended for practitioners, policymakers, civil society and the energy sector, this brochure reviews various public financing options that can help enable the transition to clean district heating.
Following the money: Bulgaria
April 9, 2024
This briefing provides an overview of the just transition envisioned in Bulgaria’s Territorial Just Transition Plan for the four regions designated to receive money from the Just Transition Fund.
The Corridor Vc motorway in Bosnia and Herzegovina: A decisive test for EU standards
April 5, 2024
Based on a March 2024 site visit, this report examines two planned sections of the motorway– from Mostar South to the Kvanj Tunnel and from Konjic to Mostar, through the iconic Prenj mountain. It presents updated findings and underlines that it is crucial for the European Commission, EIB and EBRD to ensure that the route south of Mostar and via Prenj is re-examined and publicly consulted if they want to avoid many more years of delay.
International financial support for Ukraine’s recovery
March 28, 2024
In the third part of the research series ‘On the reconstruction front line: Ukrainian municipalities and the funding landscape’, we examine the support for Ukraine’s reconstruction which is being provided by international partners, financial institutions, and dedicated funds. This last section evaluates the availability of international financial support for municipalities.
Ukrainian municipalities: Accessing domestic and international financial resources for reconstruction efforts at the national level
March 28, 2024
In the second part of the research series ‘On the reconstruction front line: Ukrainian municipalities and the funding landscape’, we identify opportunities for utilising state funds and other forms of state support to meet the recovery needs of municipalities.
Air pollution in Ugljevik, Bosnia and Herzegovina
March 27, 2024
Ugljevik lignite-fired power plant, located in Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is notorious Europe-wide for its extremely high emissions of sulphur dioxide into the air. Despite the exceptionally high stack of the power plant, the town of Ugljevik is still suffering from serious air pollution.
The Modernisation Fund: An open door for fossil gas in Romania
March 26, 2024
The Modernisation Fund is supposed to channel revenues from the EU’s carbon market into the energy transition in central and eastern Europe. But it’s actually being used to further deepen the region’s dependence on fossil gas.