Bankwatch

United Nations report highlights risks and failures of public-private partnerships

A United Nations study finds that public-private partnerships involve substantial risks for the public sector and have often failed to yield ‘value for money’.

Tags: accountability financial risk PPP public-private partnerships UN/DESA United Nations

Institution: EBRD, EIB, World Bank Group

Theme: Social & economic impacts

Europe's false solutions for Ukraine's energy woes

Current EU support is not just a distraction from the energy path Ukraine needs to take, it also puts countless communities in Ukraine and abroad at risk.

Tags: Aarhus convention energy Espoo Convention Euratom nuclear safety CEE EU neighbourhood

Institution: EBRD

Theme: Energy & climate

Declaration of local community in Kaishi to cancel contract for Georgian Khudoni dam

Advocacy letter | March 9, 2016

In this declaration, the community of Khaishi, a village in the mountains in north west Georgia, called for a the cancellation of the contract for the construction of the 700MW Khudoni dam. Khaishi residents demand the recognition of customary land rights and the inclusion of Svans into the decision-making over the project.

Theme: Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts

Guest post: Walking the line

Plans for the Southern Gas Corridor / Euro-Caspian Mega Pipeline will solidify the west's dependence on fossil fuels and authoritarian regimes. A new web documentary shows why we should stop and think.

Tags: democracy Euro-Caspian Mega Pipeline human rights Ilham Aliyev Khadija Ismayilova Puglia Southern Gas Corridor web documentary Caucasus EU EU neighbourhood

Institution: EBRD, EIB

Theme: Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts

Droga S7 na celowniku Parlamentu Europejskiego

March 8, 2016

Source: Marcin Sztandera, Wyborcza.pl

Komisja Petycji Parlamentu Europejskiego poinformowała o wszczęciu postępowania wyjaśniającego w sprawie budowy skarżyskiego odcinka drogi ekspresowej S7.

nformację o wszczęciu postępowania otrzymało w poniedziałek stowarzyszenie Pracownia na rzecz Wszystkich Istot, które od dawna protestuje przeciwko proponowanemu przebiegowi S7 od Skarżyska-Kamiennej do granicy z Mazowszem. Zdaniem ekologów zagraża m.in. siedliskom trzech chronionych gatunkom motyli oraz szlakom migracyjnym łosiów i wilków.

Institution: EU Funds

Theme: Transport

Tags: S-7 expressway, CEE

Putting energy efficiency first. Reframing the European Investment Bank's action in times of transition and uncertainty

Study | March 7, 2016

The study shows how the European Investment Bank (EIB) has valid reasons to start embracing the energy efficiency first principle and implement it in its lending decision: significant energy savings will be needed regardless of the climate mitigation route taken and to enable the proper roll out of its climate strategy and lead the energy transition. The study looks at how the EIB can do this through its lending policies and financial decisions.

Institution: EIB

Theme: Energy & climate, Resource efficiency

[Campaign update] Key costs still missing in Montenegro coal power plant debate

Tens of questions remain unanswered about costs related to a new unit at the Pljevlja lignite power plant in Montenegro.

Tags: coal corruption costs Pljevlja state-aid Balkans EU neighbourhood

Theme: Energy & climate

Expert analysis confirms Croatian Plomin C coal plant is economically unfeasible

Responding to the lack of official economic data for Croatia's Plomin C coal project, a new analysis finds that the project is highly risky.

Tags: analysis coal economic feasibility health Plomin pollution state-aid Balkans EU

Theme: Energy & climate

Istraživanje zagađenosti zraka na Balkanu: Sarajevo i Tuzla gori od Pekinga

March 3, 2016

Source: Almir Šećkanović, Faktor

Kao posebno zagađen grad na Balkanu izdvojena je Tuzla, koja bilježi posebno veliku količinu sumpor-dioksida, što je čini gradom sa najzagađenijim zrakom u Bosni i Hercegovini.

Sarajevo je tokom decembra i januara u nekoliko navrata bilo zagađenije od Pekinga, koji slovi za jedan od najzagađenijih svjetskih gradova, pokazuju podaci evropske ekološke mreže Bankwatch, koja je izradila studiju sa mjerenjima onečišćenja zraka u pet balkanskih gradova, uključujući Sarajevo i Tuzlu iz Bosne i Hercegovine.

Kritični januar

Theme: Energy & climate

Tags: air pollution, Western Balkans, Balkans

Do not fund Southern Gas Corridor with EU money

The flashbulbs at Azerbaijan’s official photo opportunities should not blind Europe’s leaders to the country’s accelerated descent into authoritarianism, writes Xavier Sol.

Tags: Baku EIB Energy Union Euro-Caspian Mega Pipeline human rights Southern Gas Corridor TANAP TAP Caucasus EU neighbourhood