From a grassroots to the international level …
We investigate the impacts of public finance, work with affected communities and local organisations across the world and help them protect their rights and livelihoods. We make sure their stories are being told in Europe’s power centers.
We regularly meet representatives of the institutions we monitor and we’re in Brussels, too, doing our bit to make Europe a fairer, cleaner and sustainable place.
Alternative news
We expose the risks of international public finance and bring critical updates from the ground.
We believe that the billions of public money should work for people and the environment.
FOCUS AREAS
INSTITUTIONS WE MONITOR
OUR PROJECTS
Komarnica hydropower plant, Montenegro
Planned by Montenegro’s state-owned electricity utility EPCG, the need for the Komarnica hydropower plant has never been proven.
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Ugljevik power plant, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Commissioned in 1985, the 300 MW coal power plant in Ugljevik, Bosnia and Herzegovina, has become famous for emitting more sulphur dioxide than all of Germany’s coal power plants in 2019.
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Pljevlja I power plant, Montenegro
The existing 225 MW Pljevlja thermal power plant in the north of Montenegro, near the borders with Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, has been operating since 1982. The plant was originally planned to comprise two units but the second one was never built. The plant, along with the extensive use of coal and wood for heating, has caused unbearably bad air quality in the town.
Read morePublications
Assessment of Hungary’s operational programmes
Assessment | 26 May, 2022 | Download PDFThis briefing offers an analysis of Hungary’s draft operational programmes for 2021-2027 and recommendations regarding the potential for increasing the programmes’ climate and environmental contributions.
District heating case studies
Case studies | 17 May, 2022 | Download PDFThree case studies on district heating in Dronninglund, Denmark; Marstal, Denmark; and Vienna, Austria provide innovative solutions to successfully decarbonise district heating. These can inspire similar action in other locations across central and eastern Europe.
Comments to (the Romanian language version of) the Spatial Plan of the Republic of Serbia 2021-2035 and to the “Developers’ position on the comments of the neighbouring states”
Policy comments | 12 May, 2022 | Download PDFSerbia consulted its neighbour, Romania, about the transboundary environmental impact of its national Spatial Plan, supposed to cover the period between 2021 (!) and 2035. This time, with the text of the Spatial Plan in the language of the potentially affected public, i.e. Romanian, as required by the Espoo Convention. Bankwatch Romania submitted written input, highlighting, among others, that the so-called “gradual decarbonisation” mentioned in the Spatial Plan consists in reality of only 2GW additional installed capacity in wind electricity but of 4GW in new lignite and fossil gas capacity. Bankwatch Romania called for a revision of the Plan, which would account for a genuine decarbonisation in line with the Green Agenda goals, which means abandoning new lignite infrastructure plans.
Assessment of Poland’s operational programmes
Assessment | 9 May, 2022 | Download PDFThis briefing offers an analysis of Poland’s draft operational programmes for 2021-2027 and recommendations regarding the potential for increasing the programmes’ climate and environmental contributions.
The state of youth engagement in the implementation of the EU Just Transition Mechanism
Report | 6 May, 2022 | Download PDFThis report provides an overview of the political youth engagement activities for the development of Territorial Just Transition Plans of twelve EU Member States.
