Bankwatch

Client Earth criticises development banks’ lending policies

July 11, 2013

Source: Diarmaid Williams , Power Engineering International

A top environmental law agency has applauded European Commissioner for Climate Policy Connie Hedegaard for her stance on development banks’ lending practices to fossil fuel power generators.

Institution: EBRD, EIB

Theme: Energy & climate

The EIB and development, a chance to clean up the bank's act

The current review of the European Investment Bank’s mandate for lending outside of the EU brings some of the pitfalls of the bank’s development lending to the fore and offers a chance for improvements.

Tags: development European Parliament financial intermediaries local impacts Mopani private equity transparency Zambia Global South

Institution: EIB

Theme: Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts, Other harmful projects

Hedegaard applies pressure to development banks

July 10, 2013

Source: , Power Engineering International

The momentum towards a world, or a Europe at least, where renewable power dominates was added to this week, when Connie Hedegaard said development banks ought to take “a lead role in eliminating public support for fossil fuels.”

Institution: EBRD, EIB

Theme: Energy & climate

Environment 'hollowed-out' of future Cohesion Policy - NGOs slam EP vote

July 10, 2013

Brussels, July 10, 2013 – The green potential of a third of Europe’s budget for 2014-2020 has been hollowed-out following a vote in the European Parliament today, according to Bankwatch and Friends of the Earth Europe. The committee for regional development (REGI) has approved proposals to reform EU Structural Funds – money intended to improve the economic well-being of regions – which include a last-minute shift from legally-binding to voluntary environmental spending.

Institution: EU Funds

Tags: Cohesion Policy, legislative process, trialogue, EU

EU climate commissioner calls for development banks to cut ties with fossil fuels

July 10, 2013

Source: Ilaria Bertini, Blue and Green Tomorrow

The EU’s commissioner for climate change has urged three large development banks to stop investing in fossil fuels and to instead promote renewable energy in the western Balkans.

Institution: EBRD, EIB

Theme: Energy & climate

Democratising Cohesion Policy - Slovakia not ready to put EU funds spending in citizens' hands

With today’s approval of the watered down proposals to reform EU Structural Funds in the European Parliament’s committee for regional development (see our press release), EU decision makers have taken a step away from ambitious environmental spending in the future Cohesion Policy. At the same time also national level allocation of the 2014-2020 funds is starting to take shape. But efforts to get the funds working sustainably for, and on behalf of, needy local communities are being thwarted in Slovakia - for a range of all too familiar reasons.

Tags: Cohesion Policy decentralisation decision making EU funds local benefits local economy municipalities participation programming EU

Institution: EU Funds

Decisive European Parliament Vote on the future Cohesion Policy expected tomorrow

July 9, 2013

Brussels, July 9, 2013 – The European Parliament’s committee for regional development (REGI) will vote tomorrow on the European Commission’s proposals to reform EU Structural Funds. If approved, the watered-down text will significantly dampen Europe’s potential to promote renewables and energy savings, according to Bankwatch and Friends of the Earth Europe.

Institution: EU Funds

Tags: legislative process, EU

NGO analysis of the results of the Cohesion Policy trilogues

Briefing | July 9, 2013

Six environmental NGOs, having been working on the Cohesion policy regulations for several years, provide in this document a detailed analysis on the uptake and safeguards of key environmental issues throughout the negotiations between the three institutions (Parliament, Council and Commission), and recommendations to ensure that the next Cohesion Policy for 2014-2020 better contributes to Europe’s 2020 targets, creates green jobs, enhances economic opportunities and addresses environmental challenges.

Institution: EU Funds

Bankwatch comments to the EIB draft energy policy

Policy comments | July 9, 2013

The EU’s global leadership on climate change is set to take another blow if the European Investment Bank, the EU house bank and one of the world’s largest public lenders, adopts a future energy lending policy as presented yesterday to the public. The draft policy includes weaker standards for lending to coal plants than currently proposed in both the US and Canada.

Institution: EIB

Theme: Energy & climate

Is the Latvian success story over? Good public participation practices in EU funds planning in Latvia turns sour

So far the planning for Latvia’s use of the EU funds for the 2014-2020 period has been a reasonably positive experience from a partnership perspective. Yet the process that has, until recently, been notable for its transparency and high level of public participation is now in danger of being derailed.

Tags: Cohesion Policy EU funds legislative process Operational Programme participation partnership programming transparency Baltics EU