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Fossil fuel subsidies by European public banks are underwriting climate change
September 28, 2017
 | by Pippa Gallop

The United States and Syria stand alone. With the recent adoption by Nicaragua of the Paris climate agreement, only those two countries appear to ignore the global imperative of phasing out fossil fuels if the world is to avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis.

Within the EU, the acknowledgment of the need to phase out fossil fuel subsidies as a key part of the global effort to stem climate change has materialised in multiple policy decisions including the Europe 2020 Strategy and the recent EU 2030 Energy and Climate governance framework.

EBRD, EIB
Energy & climate
Georgia's highlanders against hydropower
September 20, 2017
 | by Ana-Maria Seman

As the Georgian government moves ahead with its plans for increasing the country’s hydropower capacity, local communities are being sidelined in the process of compensation payments.

hydropower, internally displaced persons, land rights, local communities, participation, resettlement, transparency
EBRD, EIB, AIIB, ADB
Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts
'Cooperation', but not as we know it - Ukrainian civil society resists efforts to be co-opted by big agro
September 20, 2017
 | by Vladlena Martsynkevych

The controversial Ukrainian agribusiness giant Myronivsky Hliboproduct (MHP) tries to handle community relations by putting publicity spin on the outcomes of a long overdue discussion with civil society.

agribusiness, chicken, local communities, MHP, oligarch, pollution, poultry
Other harmful projects
[Campaign update] EBRD confirms negative impacts of Albanian hydropower plants on people and the environment
September 20, 2017
 | by Igor Vejnovic

It’s been a hot summer all over the Balkans. A heatwave called Lucifer struck Albania, drying up its river and causing numerous forest fires. Since Albania relies 90% on hydropower for its electricity, the drought resulted in a significant drop in production, forcing Albania to import 80 percent of it electricity.

drought, hydropower, irrigation, locals impacts, Rapuni, Ternove
EBRD
Energy & climate
Bulgaria's Struma motorway becomes test case for European Commission's commitment to EU nature protection law
September 14, 2017
 | by Fidanka Bacheva-McGrath

With crude manipulations, the Bulgarian government is trying to push through a contended motorway route that would damage the country’s biodiversity hotspot in breach of EU law and international conventions. It expects that the European Commission will sit, watch and pay for it.

biodiversity, Kresna, motorway, Natura2000, participation, protest
EU Funds
Transport, Other harmful projects
Systematic shortcomings will deprive people affected by Georgian dam of compensation
September 11, 2017
 | by Mihkel Annus

An assessment of livelihoods of people to be affected by the Nenskra hydropower plant in Georgia contains mistakes that will lead to significant losses for locals.

hydropower, indigenous people, land rights, livelihoods, resettlement, Svaneti
EBRD, EIB, AIIB, ADB
Social & economic impacts
The true colours of Svaneti - A festival in the stunning Georgian mountains
August 30, 2017
 | by Mihkel Annus

Despite the remote location, the culture festival We Are Svaneti brought together people from three continents and helped young Svans to become aware of their communities’ unique traditions.

culture, hydropower, indigenous people, resettlement, Svaneti, tradition
EBRD, EIB, Export credit agencies, AIIB, ADB
Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts
EU funds in central and eastern Europe: 'partnership principle' still not translating to 'partnership in practice'
August 29, 2017
 | by Alexa Botar

As a civil society organisation operating across central and eastern Europe, Bankwatch views its role as a watchdog on how effectively the EU funds are being spent in our countries seriously – with billions of euros on the line, we need to ensure that spending decisions are taken democratically, with transparency to the fore and with stakeholders having a real say in how scarce public investment money is being deployed.

partnership principle, transparency
EU Funds
Balkan governments unprepared for new EU pollution rules
August 17, 2017
 | by Pippa Gallop

New EU rules entering into force today, to limit pollution from power plants, will also apply in most Western Balkan countries. But the region’s governments are so far acting like they don’t exist.

air pollution, BalkanCoal, BREF, coal
Chinese investors, Export credit agencies
Energy & climate, Balkans
Bulgarian government wants to limit civil rights for the sake of EU funding
July 24, 2017
 | by Anelia Stefanova

With new legislation, Bulgaria’s government is trying to limit inconvenient civil engagement in projects it deems strategic.

biodiversity, civil rights, infrastructure, Jyrki Katainen, Kresna gorge, Struma motorway
EU Funds
Transport, Other harmful projects

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