Ukraine

While Ukraine’s aging coal power infrastructure is causing pollution and energy loss in the country, coal-based electricity is exported at a dumping price to EU countries.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development praises its own achievements in the agricultural sector. A look at Ukraine, however, reveals how sustainable food provision, local communities and the quality of soil are falling by the wayside with the bank’s focus on big industrial operations.

Before claiming the moral high ground on fighting corruption in Ukraine, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development should first of all brush up its own transparency policy and drop old-fashioned arguments in favour of confidentiality and secret conditionalities in its projects.

Environmental groups in Ukraine have highlighted the negative local impacts of one of the biggest agribusinesses in the country, MHP, that is in line to receive additional credit by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Demonstrations in Kiev have shown that road safety is not only for cars but also pedestrians and other traffic participants - a lesson that the Ukrainian road company still needs to learn and that the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development should be teaching more actively.

As part of the consultation on its energy sector strategy the EBRD next week hosts public meetings in Istanbul, Belgrade and Moscow to discuss with civil society from its countries of operation. While public pressure is increasing to end coal financing it is important to note that restrictions to carbon-intensive investments must be strictly and clearly defined in the strategy document if they are to improve the EBRD's climate impact. An article from Bankwatch's 2012 annual report (pdf) illustrates how a too flexible approach allows the EBRD to greenwash also very dirty investments.