Global South

A new report by The Corner House critically examines the notion of “energy security,” one of the buzzwords in European politics used to justify controversial infrastructure projects like the Nabucco gas pipeline or high voltage transmission lines in Ukraine. Here an introduction to the report from its authors.

A documentary exposes the practices and disastrous local impacts of oil extraction by European energy companies in Nigeria. Food for thought for ourselves and our political representatives at national and European level.

Baffled by an EIB loan to a holiday resort in Morocco, our friends from Counter Balance - Challenging the European Investment Bank had a closer look at the kind of development promoted there and came back with this wonderfully illustrative video.

Ahead of a meeting next week that offers a unique chance for discussion with the EIB's Board of Directors, Bankwatch's EIB team leader Anna Roggenbuck gives an overview over some of the issues to which she'd like to hear some comments by the bank's enigmatic leadership.

The European Union's internal and external ambitions for green economies are being countered by the activities of European international financial institutions. EU Commissioner for the Environment Potocnik can see that also in his home country Slovenia.

The EU external energy policy Communication published today by the European Commission continues the decade-long approach of the EU to ensure the unhindered flow of fossil fuel energy supplies to Europe without a real recognition of the problems this drive creates both inside and outside of the EU.

Bankwatch's new report on the EIB's fossil-heavy energy lending between 2002 and 2008 comes one week before the crunch global climate talks in Copenhagen, in preparation for which the international financial institutions have been flexing their rhetorical muscles.