Extra caution needed for Plomin C coal power plant project due to heightened corruption risks
October 2, 2014
The consortium that has been chosen as the preferred bidder for the controversial Plomin C 500 MW coal power plant project in Croatia consists of the two companies Marubeni and Alstom. Both have been involved in corruption scandals recently that led to sanctions from financing institutions. This briefing offers details on these cases.
Balkans-Visegrad civil society exchange: case studies from internships
September 24, 2014
A compilation of 4 case studies as a result of internships carried out in Visegrad countries – Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia – by Bankwatch member and partner organisations CEKOR (Serbia), Center for Environment (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and EDEN Center (Albania).
Dusting off Ukraine’s energy sector – Why the country must address inefficiency and pollution at its ageing coal-fired power plants
September 16, 2014
The study, based on a field trip to two coal power plants and communities in Western Ukraine, highlights some of the pollution challenges of energy generation from coal in Ukraine, explains the urgent need for reform in Ukraine’s energy sector and the opportunities that the Energy Community membership brings to the country.
Complaint to the EIB regarding the S-7 expressway in Poland
September 15, 2014
The complaint details the problems with the S-7 expressway project in Poland. It was prepared by the Polish association “Pracownia na Rzecz Wszystkich Istot – Workshop for All Beings”.
A road to nowhere – the shortcomings of the S-7 expressway in Poland
September 15, 2014
The controversies around the „Skarzysko-Polnoc” junction compound to create a hotspot for the different issues related to road investments in Poland. The planned section threatens the valuable natural environment, and the project is lagging due to legal and procedural inadequacies in the decision-making process.
Green 10 letter to President Juncker protesting the slidelining of environment in the new European Commission
September 11, 2014
In the letter, the ten leading environmental organisations in Europe express their grave concerns over the direction the EU seems to be taking with the new Commission. The structure of the new Commission, the mission letters, and the choice of Commissioners all reveal a serious downgrading of environment and a roll back of EU commitments to sustainable development, resource efficiency, air quality, biodiversity protection and climate action.
Bankwatch Mail 60
August 8, 2014
In Bankwatch Mail 60 we take a look at how the new Member States spending plans for EU funds are shaping up. Besides some signs of hope, we find still a notable lack of long-term sustainable strategies of central and eastern European countries. And while former British prime minister Tony Blair’s new advisory role for a consortium led by oil and gas giant BP is drawing criticism, the European Investment Bank has a real chance to champion EU climate policy – if it follows a few sensible suggestions.
Green spending shoots in eastern EU at risk of being crushed
August 8, 2014
EU member states and the European Commission, after what has felt like a marathon two-year process, are now engaged in finalising agreements on the EU’s Structural and Cohesion Funds (ESIF) investment strategies and spending plans for the 2014 -2020 EU budget period. Where the 11 ‘new’ member states of central and eastern Europe (CEE) are concerned, their approach to economic and societal development via the EU funds is proving to be a double-edged sword: while their spending plans for climate action is set to increase ten-fold in comparison to the 2007-2013 period, and the ‘greenest Cohesion Policy legislation ever’ prevents them from committing major environmental crimes, a reasonable long-term investment strategy, and financing, to achieve the decarbonisation of these economies by 2050 is noticeably lacking.
Can the EIB lead the European economy out of crisis by championing EU climate policy?
August 8, 2014
The European Investment Bank, the biggest multilateral public bank in the world by lending volume and the self-styled ‘EU bank’, has recently announced that it will be reviewing its approach to climate change in the coming months. According to comments made by EIB vice-president Philippe de Fontaine Vive to civil society representatives, “The EIB wants to position itself between this October’s anticipated EU 2030 climate agreement and the Paris COP 21 meeting in December 2015”.
EU budget last lap – going for gold, and green
August 8, 2014
Mathieu Fichter, Team Leader on ‘Sustainable Growth’ in the European Commission’s Regional and Urban Policy directorate (DG Regio), and Markus Trilling, EU Funds coordinator for Bankwatch and Friends of the Earth Europe, discuss and reflect on the challenges and opportunities that are being thrown up as we enter the final negotiating stages in the programming process for the EU budget 2014-2020.
