EU biodiversity credits – barking up the wrong tree
July 7, 2025
This briefing provides an overview of biodiversity credits, offsets and nature markets, EU plans and issues with biodiversity credits.
The threat to the EU’s LIFE programme in the next budget
June 26, 2025
The EU’s new priorities are at a major crossroads. The once cutting-edge European Green Deal is now ditched in favour of defence, security and competitiveness. These discussions are taking place against the backdrop of the much-anticipated future EU budget, the financial resource responsible for driving forward the EU’s goals.
LIFE for nature: Why Europe’s flagship environmental programme must remain part of the next EU budget
June 26, 2025
Our publication showcases successful LIFE-funded projects from Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia and Slovenia. These inspiring examples demonstrate the programme’s positive impact on a wide range of ecosystems – and why it must continue to support nature in the next EU budget.
Montenegro’s stop-start spatial plan set to greenlight harmful hydro projects
June 24, 2025
Montenegro is touted as the lead EU accession candidate these days, but it’s unfortunately far from ready. The country’s hotly debated new national spatial plan is a case in point, plagued by delays, legal breaches, opacity and all-round low quality.
Biodiversity funding in the EU’s next long-term budget: Opportunities and risks for national plans
March 27, 2025
This joint statement highlights the key opportunities and challenges for improving the design and deployment of biodiversity financing in the next EU budget, particularly if national plans are introduced.
Avoiding the death of LIFE: Why Europe’s flagship environmental programme must remain part of the next EU budget
March 24, 2025
The LIFE programme, a proven and effective resource for financing biodiversity, is widely regarded as one of the EU’s best performing funds.
Răstolița: Major destruction for minimal energy
January 20, 2025
Nestled at the foothills of Călimani National Park in eastern Romania, the Răstolița river, a tributary of the Mureș, flows through a pristine and biodiverse landscape. However, this idyllic setting is under threat from the Răstolița hydropower project, a relic of the communist era. Designed over 30 years ago, this outdated project is incompatible with modern environmental standards and poses a severe threat to the unique ecosystem of the Răstolița river, home to the endangered Danube salmon.
Needs and priorities for biodiversity funding: A comparative analysis of Hungary and Poland
December 20, 2024
his briefing compares national biodiversity needs and priorities in Hungary and Poland, two of the principal recipients of EU funding.
Harmful project documenting tool
December 20, 2024
This project documenting tool offers simple, step-by-step guidance to help people gather essential information on problematic projects – a practical resource for anyone concerned with protecting their natural surroundings.
EU funds: Protecting or damaging nature? How to avoid harmful projects
October 21, 2024
The following recommendations how to prevent projects that damage nature from being financed in the future are based on the case studies from Croatia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Slovenia.
