Unsustainable energy future for EU neighbourhood region challenged
December 14, 2012
Europe’s neighbouring countries, from the Western Balkans to Ukraine, are intent on pursuing unsustainable energy futures that rely heavily on coal and nuclear. The draft energy strategy of the European Energy Community, recently open for public comments, is no big departure from the national plans, as Bankwatch found out when compiling comments to the draft – and, moreover, this reliance on coal and nuclear energy could end up receiving EU support and financing.
More gold money lined up for controversial EBRD client
December 14, 2012
The EBRD’s board of directors is set to decide on December 12 whether or not to extend further significant financing to Canadian gold mining firm Dundee Precious Metals (DPM). This time the EBRD may invest up to USD 45 million in a ‘five-year revolving corporate debt facility’ to DPM valued at USD 150 million.
Connecting Europe Facility – connecting who, and what, exactly?
December 14, 2012
The economic crisis has accelerated the development of new financial instruments for the next EU budget period in 2014-2020. The main intention behind these instruments is to deliver substantial levels of new investment money from increasingly limited public resources in order to plot a path towards Europe’s economic recovery.
Bankwatch Mail 54
December 14, 2012
In the ‘aftergloom’ of two major inter-governmental get-togethers – the latest UN climate talks in Doha and the EU budget summit in Brussels – Bankwatch Mail 54 discusses the revision of the energy lending policies at both the EIB and the EBRD – an opportune moment for both banks to show real climate ambition and turn their backs on fossil fuels. In an interview the new EBRD president Sir Suma Chakrabarti shows that much is moving as the bank juggles such hot potatoes as potential support for Monsanto’s expansion into our region while trying to lay down new roots in post-Arab Spring north Africa.
