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Improve quality of EIB lending before increasing quantity – letter to EIB governors

Advocacy letter | 12 May, 2012 | Download PDF

The letter, sent shortly before the European Investment Bank’s annual meeting, calls on EIB governors to improve the EIB’s lending before increasing its capital base as a response to the European crisis. The letter argues that in order to offer a long term solution, EIB backed projects should be economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. Right now this is not the case.


EBRD support for Kolubara locking in Serbia’s CO2 emissions

Briefing | 12 May, 2012 | Download PDF

Linked to a slew of controversies, the Kolubara lignite mining project in Serbia is in line for support from European public banks. Corruption allegations, pollution at local level, irregularities in resettlement of local populations and not to forget a climate damaging approach to energy investments should be reason enough to find alternative options.


Boskov Most Hydro Power Plant, Macedonia

Briefing | 9 May, 2012 | Download PDF

The project Boskov Most HPP involves the construction of a 33 m high dam and a hydro power plant with a total capacity of 68MW. It is mostly located in the territory of the Mavrovo National Park, one of the oldest and most valuable protected areas in the country. Since this is only one of many hydropower projects planned in the country, civil society organisations are calling for an assessment of the cumulative effect of all HPPs planned in the Mavrovo National Park before any further steps are taken.


Environmental standards in hydro power projects in Georgia

Briefing | 9 May, 2012 | Download PDF

In recent years Georgia’s government has sought to position the country as a future regional renewable energy hub. Governmental plans include the construction of transmission lines and numerous hydropower plants (HPPs), in order to ensure electricity exports to Turkey and subsequently to gain access to the south-east European market by 2015-2017. The number and technical design of the planned HPPs do not comply with the principles of sustainable development, and they are bound to have serious negative impacts on the environment.


Comments on the EIB’s Draft Greenhouse Gas Accounting Methodology

Policy comments | 7 May, 2012 | Download PDF

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has developed draft methodologies in order to assess project greenhouse gas emissions from its projects. Bankwatch’s comments provide recommendations on how to improve the methodology used in order to support the EU’s climate goals. Our comments primarily focus on how baselines are set and the treatment of scope 3 emissions. The document also discusses the way in which we believe the bank needs to use the outcomes from its GHG calculations.