development

Mongolia's energy sector: time for a rethink

Study | May 3, 2017

This report is meant as a background document for civil society in Mongolia and international groups to advocate for increased transparency and participation in priority energy projects; improved forecasts of power demand and alternatives for the sustainable development of the energy sector to benefit people and the environment and meet Mongolia’s commitments towards climate change mitigation; and an increased share of renewable energy in the Mongolian energy mix along with removing fiscal and financial barriers for renewable projects.

Institution: EBRD

Theme: Energy & climate, Development, Mining

National and local levels play secondary role in Green Climate Fund, European Investment Bank project illustrates

The use of international financial institutions to manage projects within the Green Climate Fund framework has been criticised as too far removed from communities and those affected by the investments. Recently approved projects, the biggest of them administered by the European Investment Bank confirm this view, despite willingness to include civil society.

Tags: climate finance development Green Climate Fund participation Global South

Institution: EIB

Theme: Energy & climate, Development

Going abroad - a critique of the European Investment Bank's External Lending Mandate

Study | November 18, 2016

This report analyses how and if the European Investment Bank (EIB) is fulfilling its development role under the so-called External Lending Mandate (ELM) for the period 2014-2020. It sheds light on the more questionable quality and effectiveness of EIB operations and on the neglected areas of the bank’s performance outside Europe, such as transparency and access to information practices, its attitude towardstax evasion and tax dodging, human rights due diligence.

Institution: EIB

Theme: Social & economic impacts, Development

The EU bank's dubious overseas development experience shows it cannot be a key player in Europe's response to the plight of refugees - report

November 18, 2016

The EIB is increasingly given a prominent role in the EU’s response to the so-called refugee crisis stretching the bank’s operations well beyond its current mandate for overseas investments. Yet, a new report by Counter Balance and CEE Bankwatch Network takes a closer look at projects the EU’s house bank has been financing outside Europe to find a dismal track record on a range of issues from transparency to human rights. This, the report authors say, should serve as a warning sign for the European Parliament and Council as they consider boosting the bank’s mandate.

Institution: EIB

Theme: Social & economic impacts, Development

Tags: democracy, development, freedom of speech, human rights, refugees, transparency, EU neighbourhood, Global South

Here be dragons: How the EU bank's development finance overlooks people at risk

The European Investment Bank’s failure in safeguarding the most vulnerable groups in its projects shows it is ill-equipped to help refugees and host communities in the European Union’s neighbourhood. A new report explains the bank’s weaknesses in identifying and responding to human rights risks.

Tags: civil society democracy development human rights overseas investments participation refugees safeguards transparency EU neighbourhood Global South

Institution: EIB

Theme: Social & economic impacts, Development

New report reveals the 'dark side' of EIB funds: how the EU's bank supports non-transparent investment funds based in tax havens

September 14, 2016

Counter Balance launches today a new report that critically analyses a little-known part of the European Investment Bank (EIB)’s operations: its use of private equity funds.

The report is available for download at
http://www.counter-balance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/The-dark-side-of-EIB-funds_report.pdf

The report presents a number of statistics and facts about recent investment funds financed by the EIB during the period 2011-2015.

Institution: EIB

Theme: Social & economic impacts, Development

Tags: development, equity funds, financial intermediaries, secrecy, tax avoidance, tax havens, Global South

Global call to development banks: don't fund projects that violate human rights

July 14, 2016

Source: Paola Totaro, Thomson Reuters Foundation

Growing number of national governments have been criminalising activities of land and human rights activists

LONDON, July 14 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - International development banks should ensure their investments do not violate human rights or risk the lives of the activists who defend them, a group of global campaigners said on Thursday.

Institution: EBRD, EIB, World Bank Group

Theme: Social & economic impacts, Development

Tags: development, development finance, human rights, Global South

How art can help challenge our perspective on development

On the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on 17 October, Polish Green Network inaugurated their annual Global Justice Night in Szczecin, Poland with the aim to debate global interdependencies, our role in this process and its impact on countries in the Global South.

Institution:

Theme: Development

Tags: art, development, EYD2015, global justice, graffiti, highlight, Szczecin, EU, Global South

Southern Gas Corridor / Euro-Caspian Mega Pipeline

The Southern Gas Corridor, a system of mega-pipelines meant to bring gas from the Caspian region to Europe, is unnecessary in light of gas demand projections in the European Union's 2050 Energy Strategy. Neither will the project make European countries independent from Russian gas. At the same time, the USD 45 billion investments will boost Azerbaijan's dictatorial regime and cause damage to local communities and the environment in transit countries like Turkey and Italy.

Institution: EBRD, EIB, Commercial banks, ADB

Theme: Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts

To live or profit? Video from a protest action in the Czech Republic

On July 17, protestors in northern Czech Republic held an action outside the home of Jan Dienstl, a coal magnate who is lobbying heavily to have the country's limits on mining removed.

The participants came from the summer camp of Bankwatch's member group Hnuti Duha that took place in Horní Jiřetí, a small town which would be set for demolition if the plans of the mining companies to breach ecological mining limits succeeded.

Institution:

Theme: Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts, Development

Tags: coal, development, highlight, Jan Dienstl, Litvinov, mining, CEE, EU