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Europe's energy games are not child's play
April 23, 2012
 | by David Hoffman

A new campaign video illustrates Europe's self-absorbed approach to its energy policy outside Europe. (A blog entry Cross-posted from the Counter Balance blog.)

climate, coal, development, energy grab, energy security, EU, human rights, oil, resource, video
EIB
Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts, Other harmful projects
Poland's anti-climate gamble continued
April 18, 2012
 | by Kuba Gogolewski

Poland's application for free emission allowances is a disgrace to European climate goals. If granted, the country's fossil fuel centred plans would mean a step back for Europe's plans to decarbonise its energy sector.

carbon market, climate goals, coal, derogation, ETS, fossil fuels, Poland
EIB
Energy & climate
Suspension or no suspension, the EBRD freezes disbursements for the Šoštanj lignite power plant
April 18, 2012
 | by Piotr Trzaskowski

With the decision to freeze the disbursement of a loan for the Šoštanj lignite power plant in Slovenia, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development seemingly reacts to the many controversial points Bankwatch and other organisations have raised about the project.

coal, corruption, fossil fuels, Sostanj, success, TES6
EBRD, EIB
Energy & climate
Khimki Forest activist wins Goldman Environmental Prize
April 16, 2012
 | by Pippa Gallop

One of this year's winners of the Goldman Environmental Prize is Russian Khimki Forest defender Evgenia Chirikova, but the good news is being overshadowed by continued violence against other Khimki activists.

activism, corruption, forest, Goldman, human rights, PPP, prize, road, success, Vinci
EBRD, EIB
Transport, Social & economic impacts
Campaign asks UniCredit to 'get out of coal'
April 12, 2012
 | by Sven Haertig-Tokarz

Pressure is growing not only on international financial institutions but also on private banks to stop financing fossil fuels.

accountability, banks, campaign, coal, fossil fuels, petition, Slovenia, UniCredit
EBRD, EIB
Energy & climate
Yet another bail-out package? A comeback to 'The Vienna Initiative and financial stability in emerging Europe'
March 30, 2012
 | by Roman Havlicek

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development promotes the support for western European banks in central and eastern Europe although evidence for this initiative's success is disputable at best.

bail-out, banks, credit crunch, crisis, economics, financial intermediaries, global loans, SMEs
EBRD
Social & economic impacts
Mining in protected areas, an update on Kumtor and Centerra Gold
March 28, 2012
 | by Vladlena Martsynkevych

Centerra Gold is being criticised for its activities in protected areas at the Kumtor gold mine and at another project in Mongolia. More lessons to be learnt for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

biodiversity, Centerra, extractive industries, gold, Kumtor, mining, natural resources, protected areas
EBRD
Social & economic impacts, Other harmful projects
Corporate largesse meets scepticism at World Water Forum
March 21, 2012
 | by Sven Haertig-Tokarz

Criticism and protests around the World Water Forum have highlighted the risk of hydropower projects being greenwashed and the dangers these installations can pose to people and nature in many countries.

biodiversity, dams, energy security, hydropower, local impacts
EBRD
Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts, Other harmful projects
The two sides of reality – what the BTC pipeline means for the EBRD in north Africa
March 19, 2012
 | by Manana Kochladze

To illustrate its readiness to help Arab Spring countries, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development draws on the Baku Tbilisi Ceyhan pipeline project as a positive example. Having closely followed the project, Manana Kochladze outlines why people in north Africa should be wary of what’s to come when the EBRD enters their countries.

Arab spring, BTC, democratisation, employment, gender, local impacts, pipeline, SEMED
EBRD
Social & economic impacts
Infrastructure in the developing world: does it need PPPs?
March 14, 2012
 | by Sven Haertig-Tokarz

Public-private partnerships have garnered a lot of criticism but continue to be on the agenda of international development banks as a alternative way to finance infrastructure.

debt, development, infrastructure, PFI, PPP, public, services

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