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The dirty secret in Sofia's backyard - the coal dust that only comes at night
May 10, 2017
 | by Ioana Ciuta

Brussels may fine Bulgaria for its excessive air pollution. But living in Pernik, the most polluted town in Europe, remains a hazard to peoples’ health as the results of Bankwatch’s independent dust monitoring show.

air pollution, coal, EU standards, health, local impacts, Pernik, pollution
Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts
Serbian mining company ignores desperate calls for compensation while Kolubara mine is reaching family houses
May 8, 2017
 | by Zvezdan Kalmar

Life is a living hell for families in Vreoci, Serbia, where lignite excavators have almost reached their houses. As the mine’s financier, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development must not allow Serbian state utility EPS to create a fait accompli that leaves locals with scraps and without home.

coal, local communities, mining, resettlement
EBRD
Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts
Who really benefits from Georgia's Nenskra hydropower plant?
May 4, 2017
 | by Petr Hlobil

Today the Asian Development Bank started its annual meeting and one of the projects that we will be discussing with the bank’s management and Board of Directors is a loan for the 280 megawatt Nenskra hydropower plant in the Svaneti region of Georgia. The ADB is planning to provide a loan of USD 176.70 million and a Political Risk Guarantee over USD 100.00 million for Nenskra, with a total cost of the project of USD 930 million.

confidentiality, public funding, transparency
ADB
Energy & climate, Other harmful projects
Doing the same thing and expecting different results: Mongolia plans to curb air pollution with more coal
May 3, 2017
 | by Ana-Maria Seman

A new law on air pollution recently adopted by the Mongolian government is in part the result of massive demonstrations that swept the streets of Ulaanbaatar during the winter months, when pollution in the capital is at its worst.

EBRD, ADB
Energy & climate, Mining
National and local levels play secondary role in Green Climate Fund, European Investment Bank project illustrates
April 25, 2017
 | by Dan Heuer

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.

climate finance, development, Green Climate Fund, participation
EIB
Energy & climate, Development
Why no Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (NO TAP), here or elsewhere
April 12, 2017
 | by Elena Gerebizza

This article first appeared on the Re:Common website.

It was the end of February and the scene is Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. During an official meeting, the Italian government was severely criticised for the considerable delays in the construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), part of the Southern Gas Corridor.

Azerbaijan, local communities, natural gas, protests, TAP
EBRD, EIB
Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts
Balkans are gambling on coal as EU utilities opt out
April 12, 2017
 | by Pippa Gallop

Eurelectric members have pledged to build no new coal power stations from 2020. So why do firms in Serbia and Bosnia still think they can make coal pay?

BAT, coal, Energy Community, Eurelectric, Kakanj, stranded assets
Chinese investors, Export credit agencies
Making the coal phase out fair for workers - unions, companies and environmentalists discuss just transition in Romania
April 11, 2017
 | by Alexandru Mustata

A Romanian coal mining region is writing history today as representatives from unions, the coal industry and environmental organisations are coming together for the first time to discuss their communities’ future – with a common goal in mind.

coal, just transition, local communities, mining, unions
Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts
Western Balkans are massively expanding coal power - but the new plants may have to be closed again soon
March 29, 2017
 | by Pippa Gallop

At least 9 new lignite power plants are being planned in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia, but according to our new report their feasibility studies do not take into account the effect of CO2 prices. As a result, when these countries join the EU, the plants will not be competitive anymore and will need to be closed down – just like the many coal power plants in Western Europe that are now being shut. The taxpayers in the Western Balkans will end up footing the bill.

carbon emissions, coal, Energy Community, ETS, stranded assets
Chinese investors, Export credit agencies
Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts
River defenders gather forces in Georgia
March 28, 2017
 | by Igor Vejnovic & Kate Horner

This week, activists from across the world are meeting in Tbilisi to share their experiences of resisting hydropower projects and the money that supports them.

activism, biodiversity, hydropower, rivers, water
EBRD, EIB, World Bank Group
Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts, Other harmful projects

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