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Economic and social benefits of community energy projects

Briefing | 18 June, 2013 | Download PDF

“Community energy projects” are energy projects providing for direct benefits to a group of local shareholders. The opportunity for residents to develop and own green energy infrastructure or to jointly leverage untapped energy saving potential, represents a range of economic and social opportunities such as job creation, business opportunities, lowering energy bills and acceptance of sustainable energy production.


Off balance – The Georgian energy sector and the contradictions in EU policy and practice

Study | 18 June, 2013 | Download PDF

This study reviews the development of greenfield hydro projects in Georgia and explores how current energy sector trends in the country relate – or otherwise – to sustainable energy principles.


How strong are human rights safeguards in the EBRD’s policies? Lessons learned from the Kolubara project

Policy comments | 30 May, 2013 | Download PDF

Experience with the implementation of the Environmental and Social Policy in the case of several controversial projects suggests that the EBRD’s environmental and social safeguards are not robust enough and need strengthened. The case of the Kolubara coal mine ‘Environmental Improvement’ project, Serbia illustrates how the policy places most responsibilities on the client, and EBRD assessment and monitoring are excessively reliant on input from the client, even in cases when feedback from NGOs and communities consistently contradicts the claims of the project sponsor.


Comments on the draft EBRD Transport Strategy

Policy comments | 30 May, 2013 | Download PDF

The explicit recognition of the Avoid-Shift-Improve framework in the EBRD’s draft transport strategy is welcome and serves as a useful guiding principle on where investments should be concentrated. However, how this principle is applied in practice is not explained throughout the document and the bank’s planned activities need to be more clearly linked to this framework in the document.


Letter on Kolubara lignite mine to the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia

Advocacy letter | 28 May, 2013 | Download PDF

The letter brings the resettlement and expropriation issues that are connected to the Kolubara lignite mine to the attention of the EU’s representation in Serbia. Enclosed were recent letters to the EBRD and the Serbian finance minister (pdf) as well as a guardian article that illustrates the urgency of these problems.