Nuclear safety in Europe: decision-making behind closed doors?
July 4, 2017
European citizens don’t want to be left out of decision-making over nuclear power. But a recent meeting of the Espoo Convention reveals how concerns over reactor life-time extensions are being sidelined.
Nuclear accountability curbed by EU politics and industry interests
July 3, 2017
A meeting of the parties to the UN convention on environmental impact assessment in a transboundary context (Espoo) helped to showcase the influence that politics and the nuclear industry lobby have over decisions that have potentially severe impacts on European citizens’ health and the environment.
New life for old nukes in Ukraine means more risk for people and planet
October 3, 2016
A decision today by Ukraine’s nuclear regulator to extend the operations of another Soviet-era reactor has been made in spite of the country’s failure to implement fully the obligations it took on when receiving EU funding for its ageing nuclear fleet.
UPDATE 7: Juncker on the investment offensive … against Europeans, the economy and the environment
January 22, 2015
Labelled the €1.3 trillion investment offensive, more than 2000 projects have been identified by the European Commission’s new Task Force on Investment (made up of representatives of the EC, EIB and member states) for fast-tracked financing from President Juncker’s recently announced €315 billion stimulus plan.
Second fatal landslide in Georgian Dariali valley
August 22, 2014
While likely not the cause, the EBRD-financed Dariali hydropower plant is being constructed without proper assessment or mitigation of known geological risks. The construction must be halted to avoid further damage.
Of horses and roads – protests in Ukraine highlight lack of safety
September 11, 2013
Demonstrations in Kiev have shown that road safety is not only for cars but also pedestrians and other traffic participants – a lesson that the Ukrainian road company still needs to learn and that the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development should be teaching more actively.
Exposing the nuke-speak: responses to the EBRD’s justification for financing nuclear lifetime extensions
March 29, 2013
In an unprecedented effort to defend its support for Ukraine’s nuclear programme the EBRD publicly replies to some of our objections. Several colleagues sent us their (sometimes outraged) rebuttals, which we include here in our rejoinder to the bank’s arguments.
Money lost, safety postponed: On the mismanagement in Ukraine’s energy sector
August 23, 2012
A recent audit showed that Ukraine lacks good management at least as much as finances to reform its energy sector. EU money is meanwhile siding with a tainted company.
Ukraine’s risky nuclear future shouldn’t receive European support
March 9, 2012
Ukraine plans to extend the lifetimes of its fifteen nuclear reactors, most of which will soon pass their expiration date. A new report shows how these plans that are pursued in utter silence have seen only an inadequate assessment.
