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.
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INSTITUTIONS WE MONITOR
OUR PROJECTS
Destructive hydropower in southeast Europe
International commercial and public banks have been bankrolling a wave of hydropower projects across Southeast Europe that have damaged pristine rivers, including in protected areas. These financiers need to take their share of the responsibility and stop financing projects in sensitive areas.
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Buk Bijela dam and the Upper Drina cascade
Backed by a state-owned energy company, Buk Bijela has the necessary support and privileges to to be pushed forward in violation of the national legislation and international conventions.
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Shuakhevi hydropower plant, Georgia
Entrusted with leading Georgia towards energy independence, the Shuakhevi plant has achieved anything but. Long after its completion in June 2017, it is as far as it could be from fulfilling its promise for energy security. Instead, it managed to collect an impressive ‘portfolio’ of problems in a wide range of areas: from biodiversity, to gender impacts, to community relations.
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Submission to the EBRD strategy for Uzbekistan
Briefing | 19 June, 2018 | https://bankwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Submission-to-the-EBRD-strategy-for-Uzbekistan.pdf">Download PDFIt is important that the EBRD clearly indicates to the Uzbekistan government the need to have progress towards meeting those benchmarks from over 15 years ago that remain relevant to this day. We suggest that the Country Strategy will envisage an early …
New Kosovo power plant – an expensive and outdated anomaly in a decarbonising world
Briefing | 19 June, 2018 | https://bankwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Bankwatch-issue-paper-Kosovo-e-re.pdf">Download PDFAfter years of delay, the New Kosovo lignite power plant took a step forward in 2017 with the signing of commercial contracts. However, numerous old issues, including carbon emissions, resettlement, and the dubious single-bidder procurement process, ha …
How can the EBRD maximise its leverage to bring about decarbonisation?
Briefing | 19 June, 2018 | https://bankwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Bankwatch-issue-paper-coal-heavy-utilities.pdf">Download PDFThe economic viability of coal is ever decreasing. Without public financial support many coal investments are doomed to fail. Yet several institutions are still willing to finance an energy source that wrecks our climate, damages our health and wastes …
The cost of turning a blind eye: EIB lending to Israel’s ICL
Briefing | 18 June, 2018 | https://bankwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Briefing-the-cost-of-turnng-a-blind-eye-eib-lending-to-icl.pdf">Download PDFThe toxic wastewater spill from the Rotem Amfert plant that caused a severe environmental disaster in Ashalim Stream, Israel, in late June 2017 joins a long list of pollution events the company has been responsible for through the years. In fact, even …
The European Commission’s platform for coal regions in transition: case studies highlight tilt toward coal companies
Briefing | 5 June, 2018 | https://bankwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Briefing-EC-platform-briefing.pdf">Download PDFWithout adhering to the partnership principle, the Platform for Coal Regions in Transition risks benefiting coal companies at the expense of local communities, in blatant contradiction to its stated goal. In Poland and Slovakia, lack of transparency an …
