Expert proposals for Energy Community improvements are a promising step forward
June 18, 2014
South and eastern European member countries of the Energy Community may soon have to be much more ambitious about environmental standards in the energy sector. This is because the Energy Community, the body that aims to create a common energy market between the EU and some of its neighbours, may be about to introduce more of the EU environmental acquis into its Treaty.
Big plans for a small country – Montenegro’s draft energy strategy
June 12, 2014
Montenegro’s new draft energy strategy needs cutting down to size if environmental and economic damage is to be avoided.
First court case against coal power plant construction in Serbia
June 2, 2014
Belgrade — NGO CEKOR submitted a formal complaint in front of the Serbian national administrative court against the government’s decision to approve an Environmental Impact Assessment study for the construction of a new unit at the Kostolac B coal power plant. The complaint, in which the NGO exposes failings in the EIA process, is the first of its kind to reach Serbian courts.
Ending fossil fuel support: NGO recommendations for OECD countries on their Export Credit Agencies
May 27, 2014
According to data compiled by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), between 2007 and 2013 public financial institutions provided at least $55,7 billion in funding for coal projects abroad. The largest proportion of this comes from national Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) from OECD countries, which have provided at least $32 billion over this period or 58% of total support.
Pinocchio to deliver letters to Kulczyk
May 16, 2014
This Friday, 16th May at 2.00 pm, petitions to Jan Kulczyk, appealing for his withdrawal from plans to build Elektrownia Północ (‘North’) Power Plant in Pomerania, Poland, will be passed on to Mr. Piotr Maciolek, chairman of Elektrownia Północ Power Plant company, owned by Kulczyk Investments Group. The petitions, signed by over 8200 people, will be delivered by an exceptional guest – Pinocchio.
Guest post: EBRD justification for supporting coal in Egypt’s cement industry is negligent
May 15, 2014
Colleagues from the Egyptian Centre of Economic and Social Rights criticise the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s too lax approach when examining its activities in Egypt’s cement sector.
Funny business at EBRD meeting: sustainability champion Garanti fancies coal
May 14, 2014
The Turkish Garanti Bank, one of the winners of the Sustainability Awards of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is among the main coal investors in Turkey.
People power having major impact on Kulczyk’s coal power plans
May 14, 2014
Local community and NGO pressure has been making things rather difficult of late for the largest planned new coal-fired power plant in Europe.
IFIs pull out of Turkish coal project – NGO pressure integral
May 14, 2014
Coal power plants are mushrooming all over Turkey, there’s no doubt about that. With the government’s plan to reach 120,000 MW of installed capacity by 2023, double that of today, a 1350 MW power plant in the already heavily industrialised and polluted peninsula of Aliaga in western Turkey could easily have gone unnoticed.
New online toolkit to tackle the Kings of Coal in south east Europe and Turkey
May 14, 2014
Last year saw international financial institutions such as the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank falling like dominoes one after the other and announcing in rapid succession that they will halt – almost totally – financing for new coal power plants. These banks were also joined by other institutions such as the US Exim Bank and the Nordic Investment Bank, and governments including the US, UK, Netherlands and Scandinavian countries.
