Home >> News Media >> Bankwatch blog

Bankwatch blog

New arrests should dampen Serbia's appetite for coal
February 4, 2015
 | by Nikola Perusic

Corruption cases continue to haunt Serbia’s coal sector as a new round of arrests last week has shown. They also illustrate how the dependence on coal creates vulnerabilities for Serbia’s energy sector and potentially its financiers, in particular in the aftermath of last year’s floods.

coal, corruption, floods, Kostolac, lignite, mining, Soko, Štavalj
Chinese investors, EBRD
Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts
European Investment Bank confirms plans to finance Trans-Adriatic Pipeline
February 4, 2015
 | by Kuba Gogolewski

On February 2, during the annual meeting between civil society and the European Investment Bank’s (EIB) Board of Directors, the EIB revealed that the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) was among its priority projects for 2015 in the Balkans.[*]

The Trans-Adriatic Pipeline, planned to stretch from Greece via Albania and the Adriatic Sea to Italy, is part of the Southern Gas Corridor, a chain of projects meant to bring natural gas to Europe from the Shah Deniz offshore gas field in Azerbaijan.

development, energy, human rights, infrastructure, Lukoil, natural gas, Southern Gas Corridor, Trans-Adriatic Pipeline
EBRD, EIB
Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts, Development
Guest post: Resettlement process for Kosovo Power Project does not comply with international standards
February 3, 2015
 | by Dajana Berisha

A report being presented today analyses the process with which 7000 are to be resettled for the Kosovo lignite mine and concludes that the World Bank-financed process does not comply with the bank's own standards and is plagued by a slew of other weaknesses.

coal, KOSID, Kosovo, mining, resettlement, World Bank
World Bank Group
Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts, Mining
Citizens of Romanian town protest against EBRD long-term "strategic" client Kronospan
January 23, 2015
 | by Klara Sikorova

Protests against a new Kronospan formaldehyde plant in the Romanian town of Sebes continue into their third week. Their history dates more than ten years back when the company came to modernise the local plant with financing from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The ongoing demands for breathable air cast a shadow over the EBRD’s promises of sustainable development and transition.

development, formaldehyde, Kronospan, local communities, local impacts, manufacturing, pollution, protests, transition
EBRD
Social & economic impacts, Development
UPDATE 7: Juncker on the investment offensive ... against Europeans, the economy and the environment
January 22, 2015
 | by Markus Trilling

Labelled the €1.3 trillion investment offensive, more than 2000 projects have been identified by the European Commission’s new Task Force on Investment (made up of representatives of the EC, EIB and member states) for fast-tracked financing from President Juncker’s recently announced €315 billion stimulus plan.

Antwerp Ring Road, Aschach, coal, Czeczott, dam, Danube, displacement, economics, EFSI, environmental impacts, growth, Gubin, health, hydropower, incinerators, investment package, Juncker, lignite, Lipno, mining, nuclear, pollution, protected areas, protests, resettlement, Rovinari, safety, Slatinka, sustainability, tunnel, Turceni, Vltava, waste, Zagreb
EIB
Energy & climate, Transport, Resource efficiency, Social & economic impacts, Other harmful projects, Development
Guest post: Mongolian herders file complaint with EBRD about Mongolian iron ore company
January 21, 2015
 | by Anne Schuit

Herders from the Gobi Altai mountains in western Mongolia have filed a complaint with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The complaint addresses the company Altain Khuder, which at its Tayan Nuur iron ore mine has allegedly caused significant environmental pollution and the displacement of herders in the Mongolian Gobi Altai mountains.

Altain Khuder, Gobi Altai, mining, SOMO, Tayan Nuur
EBRD
Social & economic impacts, Development, Mining
[Campaign update] Kostolac B3 lignite plant loan agreement bypasses public debate and contains unacceptable conditions
January 16, 2015
 | by Zvezdan Kalmar

The Serbian parliament will on Monday vote on the ratification of a USD 608 million loan agreement from the China ExIm Bank for the construction of the 350 MW Kostolac B3 lignite power plant by Chinese company CMEC.

Serbia's latest addition to its huge debt burden is being presented as a great success, but a new lignite plant is more likely to end up as a weight around our necks as we move towards the EU and apply EU climate policies.

CMEC, coal, energy, Kostolac, loan, public debt
Chinese investors
Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts
[Campaign update] Ekotim files lawsuit on poor quality environmental permit for Banovici thermal power plant
December 24, 2014
 | by Pippa Gallop

Bosnia and Herzegovina NGO Ekotim has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism in relation to an addendum to the environmental permit for the planned 300 MW Banovici lignite power plant near Tuzla.

Balkans, BiH, coal, Tuzla
Chinese investors
Energy & climate
All we want for Christmas is to be able to breathe ...
December 23, 2014
 | by Pippa Gallop

As you're gearing up for the festive season, spare a thought for the long-suffering folks in Pljevlja, Montenegro, and Zenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina, who are fighting against serious pollution of air soil, and water.

ArcelorMittal, coal, Pjevlja, pollution, protest, Zenica
EBRD
Energy & climate
[Campaign update] KOSID contests the opening process of the tender for the 'New Kosovo' Power Plant
December 23, 2014
 | by KOSID

A press-realease issued by KOSID on December 21.

complaint, KOSID, Kosovo, Kosovo e Re, lignite, tender
World Bank Group
Energy & climate

Tag cloud

more tags

Blog posts by institution

EBRD
EIB
EU Funds

Blog posts by region

Connect with us online

Facebook   Twitter   YouTube   RSS feed