Whether in Europe or beyond, public money must not become an auxiliary for human rights violations or the marginalisation of affected communities.
We expose cases where development banks fail to protect those impacted by their projects.
We advocate for participation and consultation processes that are not pro-forma exercises, but a tool to ensure people’s well-being.
Close to frontline communities
We’re in direct contact with affected communities and provide updates from their struggles.
Image (c) Rosa Vroom
Where rights are on the line
Krapska Reka small hydropower plant, Macedonia
Loopholes in the EBRD’s due diligence, together with a lack of assessment and monitoring by Macedonia’s local and central government, has proven to be a lethal combination for the country’s rivers. A prime example is the Krapska Reka small hydropower project. The authorities’ failure to recognise the location as part of the proposed Jakupica National Park, Emerald area and a future Natura 2000 site, on top of poor mitigation measures and construction practices, have caused irreversible damage to this small river valley.
Destructive hydropower in southeast Europe
International commercial and public banks have been bankrolling a wave of hydropower projects across Southeast Europe that have damaged pristine rivers, including in protected areas. These financiers need to take their share of the responsibility and stop financing projects in sensitive areas.
Buk Bijela dam and the Upper Drina cascade
Backed by a state-owned energy company, Buk Bijela has the necessary support and privileges to to be pushed forward in violation of the national legislation and international conventions.
Latest news
Belgrade incinerator plans raise burning questions
Blog entry | 19 December, 2018The planned Belgrade waste incinerator in Serbia, being considered for financing by the EBRD, EIB and IFC, is incompatible with increasing waste prevention and recycling rates and endangers the already precarious livelihoods of the 12,000 people who currently live from waste-picking in the city. The recently published environmental and social impact assessment for the project fails to resolve either of these issues, as well as numerous others.
Read moreAs human rights declaration turns 70, development banks have a ways to go to respect and protect rights defenders
Blog entry | 10 December, 2018Today 10 December marks the seventieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. To coincide with this milestone, Bankwatch together with more than 200 organisations globally has called on international financiers [1] to ensure that these institutions support the realisation of human rights, avoid causing or contributing to rights abuses, promote an enabling environment for public participation, and safeguard rights defenders.
Read moreEuropean Parliament warns Balkan countries to stop destructive hydropower
Blog entry | 6 December, 2018The European Parliament urged the EBRD and EIB to review their support for hydropower plant projects in its last week’s resolutions on the European Commission’s 2018 reports on Albania and Montenegro. The votes come as a clear sign that the European institutions are starting to reconsider their support for hydropower as green energy.
Read moreRelated publications
Failure of the European Investment Bank to ensure proper climate impact assessment for TAP/TANAP
Briefing | 4 February, 2019 | Download PDFIn a complaint lodged today with the European Investment Bank (EIB), civil society groups protest that the bank systematically underestimated the climate footprint of a fossil fuel mega project, the Southern Gas Corridor, which helped justify providing
Biodiversity offsetting and other problems of the ESIA of Amulsar gold project in Armenia
Study | 8 January, 2019 | Download PDFThis report is a critical analysis, with regard to the impacts on biodiversity, of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of the Amulsar Gold Project. Special attention has been paid to the biodiversity offsetting proposal for creation o
Social impacts of the Amulsar mine in Armenia
Study | 8 January, 2019 | Download PDFThe Amulsar mine presents a number of considerable health and social risks to local communities, the tourism potential of the nearby Jermuk spa resort and the surrounding villages’ orchards, pastures and water supplies. The company Lydian Armenia prepa
