Home >> News Media >> Bankwatch blog

Bankwatch blog

New online toolkit to help tackle the Kings of Coal in southeast Europe and Turkey
May 5, 2014
 | by Pippa Gallop

Coal investments are a dying breed in many countries, but some investors are still ready to try their luck in southeast Europe and Turkey. For campaigners who want to communicate with these actors Bankwatch has developed the user-friendly online toolkit Kings of Coal in three languages.

campaigning, coal, energy, Kings of Coal, launch, lignite, multilingual, Serbian, toolkit, Turkey, Turkish, website
EBRD, EIB, World Bank Group
Energy & climate
The case of a 'secret' coal plant in Turkey suggests a polluted future for the country
April 28, 2014
 | by Ioana Ciuta

The SOCAR Refinery project and its ‘secret’ coal power plant show the magnitude of the problems that the mixture of business interests, coal and neglect of local health concerns may cause in Turkey.

Aliaga, cancer, coal, health, industry, investors, local impacts, pollution, SOCAR, Turkey
EBRD
Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts
Serbian NGO presses criminal charges against Kolubara mining company over landslide
April 16, 2014
 | by Nikola Perusic

One year after a landslide destroyed thirteen houses the Kolubara mining company continues to dump waste in the same area without information from its investigations forthcoming. Locals fear that more landslides may occur. Bankwatch member group CEKOR has now increased pressure on the company and the EBRD.

CEKOR, EBRD, Junkovac, Kolubara, landslide, lignite, local communities, mining
EBRD
Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts
Democracy is nobody's business - MEPs pledge to stand up for people over profit
April 15, 2014
 | by Corporate Europe Observatory

At the end of May the whole of Europe will be going to the ballot box for the 2014 European Parliament elections. But when the votes are counted and members-to-be (MEPs) take their place, who are they going to represent – people or profit? The Bankwatch supported campaign Politics for people asks them to take a pledge against the latter.

campaign, citizens, corporate influence, EU, lobbying, politics for people, revolving door, tobacco, trade, TTIP
Social & economic impacts
Threat posed by hydro to Mavrovo National Park under the spotlight at Skopje conference
April 15, 2014
 | by Ana Colovic Lesoska

On Thursday in Skopje, over 100 people attended the first public conference [mk] regarding the two planned hydropower plants in the Mavrovo National Park, one of the oldest and most valuable protected areas in the country. A petition to save the park that was launched one day earlier has already gathered over 13 000 signatures.

Balkan lynx, biodiversity, Boskov Most, ESP, hyropower, IUCN, Mavrovo national park
EBRD
Other harmful projects
UPDATE: Danube dam-busting - Under the radar EU funds grab spotted in Slovakia
March 25, 2014
 | by Roman Havlicek

A highly problematic Danube dam project has found its way into the Slovak Operational Programme for the Cohesion Policy spending in the 2014-2020 period and has become a small scandal in the country.

2014-2020, biodiversity, dam, Danube, European Commission, infrastructure, MFF, Natura 2000, Operational Programme, programming, Slovakia
EU Funds
Other harmful projects
Where's Plan B for Kosovo's energy sector?
March 18, 2014
 | by Pippa Gallop

When it comes to Kosovo's energy future, institution after institution has been putting most of its eggs in a 'new lignite' basket while some very reasonable alternative investment options seem to fall by the wayside.

BW Mail, coal, Energy Community, health, KOSID, Kosovo, pollution, World Bank
EBRD, World Bank Group
Energy & climate
Georgian Ministry of Energy orders use of force against local protesters who fear landslides from hydro construction
March 14, 2014
 | by David Chipashvili

Last weekend, the Georgian Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources again left no doubt about where its main interests lie: enforcing the massive exploitation of Georgia’s hydropower potential despite and against people’s concerns and if necessary by use of force.

Eloshvili, Georgia, hydropower, landslides, local impacts, protest, risk assessment
EBRD
Social & economic impacts
Guest post: Dr. Kim's World Bank legacy hinges on Kosovo climate test
March 12, 2014
 | by Justin Guay

Environmentalists and public finance watchdogs are taking to twitter today to urge World Bank president Dr. Jim Yong Kim to head his own rhetoric and reject the Kosovo coal power plant.

climate, coal, energy, Kosovo, lignite, World Bank
World Bank Group
Energy & climate
Eyes on different prizes - EU funds negotiations enter last lap in Slovakia
March 5, 2014
 | by Miroslav Mojzis

The Partnership Agreement (the main strategic document underpinning the new Cohesion Policy) is the place to state not only intentions but commitments, yet the latter are missing in Slovakia's EU funds blueprint for now.

CLLD, Cohesion Policy, European Commission, global grants, negotiations, partnership, programming, Slovakia
EU Funds
Social & economic impacts

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