From a grassroots to the international level …
We’re the largest network of grassroots, environmental and human rights groups in central and eastern Europe.
We monitor public finance institutions that are responsible for hundreds of billions of investments across the globe. The banks and funds we watch are often obscure but always important entities that function outside public scrutiny.
Together with local communities and other NGOs we work to expose their influence and provide a counterbalance to their unchecked power. 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.
CAMPAIGN AREAS
INSTITUTIONS WE MONITOR
OUR PROJECTS

The Reconstruction of Ukraine
The scale of destruction caused by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has been staggering. To repair the damage, joint efforts to coordinate donations and properly plan Ukraine’s reconstruction must start as soon as possible. A successful reconstruction of Ukraine cannot happen without involvement of the Ukrainian people. That’s why we’re calling on international donors to ensure that the financial structures to help impacted communities are put in place and that civil society groups have a say in this process. We believe that Ukraine and the international community have a unique opportunity to modernise the country while addressing people’s needs and long-term sustainability.
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After recovery towards cohesion
For the first time, the EU climate ambition is backed by an unprecedented financial package. The recovery and cohesion policy funds are planned to be two major components to accelerate the energy transition and reach towards climate neutrality by 2050. Bankwatch makes sure these EU funds support transformative and sustainable investments that advance energy consumption reduction, sustainable renewables and smart grids, ideally owned by communities.
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Komarnica hydropower plant, Montenegro
Planned by Montenegro’s state-owned electricity utility EPCG, the need for the Komarnica hydropower plant has never been proven.
Read morePublications
Local budgets and the reconstruction of Ukraine
Briefing | 30 November, 2023 | Download PDFIn the first part of the series ‘Ukrainian communities at the forefront of reconstruction efforts: Financial sources and their accessibility for municipalities’, we examine the problems of access to finance for reconstruction at the community level and explore the possibilities of financing the needs of municipalities through extra-budgetary funding, including international financial institutions.
Manifesto on the future of EU public finances: our priorities for delivering a just and ecological transformation
Manifesto | 24 November, 2023 | Download PDFThis manifesto presents priorities for delivering a just and ecological transformation, prepared by the coalition Citizens’ Observatory for Green Deal Financing.
Social Climate Fund – unlocking the potential for a socially just transition
Briefing | 21 November, 2023 | Download PDFThis briefing summarises the most important aspects of the regulation that establishes the Social Climate Fund.
Just transition case study: Żyrardów – regeneration and a city reinvented
Case study | 3 November, 2023 | Download PDFThis case study presents the revitalisation process of Żyrardów, a city in Poland.
The Energy Sector Strategy 2024-2028 Must Mark the End of the EBRD’s Support to Fossil Fuels
Statement | 23 October, 2023 | Download PDFAs the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is drafting its 2024-2028 Energy Sector Strategy, Bankwatch and 130 civil society groups from more than 40 countries released a joint statement urging the Bank to recommit to tackling the climate crisis.