Bankwatch

Rural communities in Ukraine bearing the brunt of unchecked agribusiness expansion, say two new reports

September 14, 2015

Residents in Ukraine's southwest are facing environmental decline, intimidation and deteriorating quality of life as a result of the rapid emergence of Europe's largest poultry farm, finds a report released today by CEE Bankwatch Network. Owned by Mironivski Hliboproduct (MHP), Ukraine's biggest poultry producer, the Vinnytsia project has been enjoying hefty support from Europe's public financial institutes and the World Bank, and plans to double the facility's size are only likely to exacerbate its social and environmental impacts, shows another report released today by the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO).

Institution: EBRD, EIB, World Bank Group

Theme: Social & economic impacts, Development

Tags: agribusiness, agriculture, CEE, EU neighbourhood

Black earth - Agribusiness in Ukraine and the marginalisation of rural communities

Study | September 14, 2015

Given Ukraine's abundant land resources and food production potential, modernisation of agriculture is necessary and industrialisation is inevitable. Yet, an investigation into the Vinnytsia poultry complex shows the negative side effects of large-scale industrialisation of meat production and sounds the alarm about the risks that agroholdings pose to communities.

Institution: EBRD, EIB, World Bank Group

Theme: Social & economic impacts, Development

Nederland sponsort Oekraïense plofkip

September 14, 2015

Source: unknown author, duurzaamnieuws

De grootste kippenproducent in Oekraïne, Myronivsky Hliboproduct (MHP), slacht jaarlijks naar schatting 332 miljoen kippen en staat op het punt de productie met 70% te verhogen. MHP krijgt daarbij ruim baan van de Oekraïense overheid, exporteert tegen gunstige voorwaarden naar Nederland en profiteert bovendien van een half miljard aan leningen van internationale ontwikkelingsbanken. Bij de schaalvergroting spelen ook Nederlandse banken en bedrijven een rol. Intussen ondervinden de bewoners in de omgeving van Europa’s grootste kippenstal steeds meer overlast van stank en zwaar verkeer en worden zij onder druk gezet om hun land te verpachten. Met het rapport Chicken Run heeft SOMO de bedrijfsstrategieën van MHP en de daaruit voortvloeiende impact op omliggende dorpen in kaart gebracht.

Institution: EBRD, EIB, World Bank Group

Theme: Social & economic impacts, Development

Tags: agribusiness, CEE, EU neighbourhood

Russian environmental organisation forced to choose between 'foreign agent' label and shutdown

September 11, 2015

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia - Sakhalin Environment Watch (SEW), Bankwatch member group in Russia's far east, has been ordered by the Russian authorities to register itself as a 'foreign agent'. The group rejects claims it is engaged in any political activity, and intends to contest the decision. If the decision is not repealed, the group will consider shutting down.

Theme: Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts

Tags: civil society, Dmitry Lisitsyn, Russia, Sakhalin, Central Asia

U Parizu prosvjed zbog Plomina C

September 11, 2015

Source: unknown author, Glas Istre

Prosvjedna okupljanja protiv izgradnje TE Plomin C održana su ovih dana u Parizu i Zagrebu. Njihov cilj bio je prisiliti veliku francusku banku Crédit Agricole da se povuče iz ovog projekta. Ta je banka, inače, izabrana za financijskog savjetnika japanske tvrtke Marubeni u poslu oko izgradnje novog bloka plominske termoelektrane.

Theme: Energy & climate

Tags: coal, Crédit Agricole, Plomin, Balkans, EU

Međunarodna kampanja protiv Plomina C

September 11, 2015

Source: unknown author, Radio Labin

Otpor protiv izgradnje termoelektrane Plomin C nastavlja jačati na međunarodnoj razini. Jučer su protiv ovog projekta održane dvije akcije – u Parizu i Zagrebu. Cilj obje akcije je prisiliti francusku banku Crédit Agricole, koja je preuzela ulogu financijskog savjetnika za Plomin C, da se povuče iz ovog projekta.

Institution: Commercial banks

Theme: Energy & climate

Tags: coal, Crédit Agricole, Plomin, Balkans, EU

Slovakia and the Energy Union: Financing for fossil fuels

Similar to what we have seen in other countries, when it comes to concrete projects in Slovakia the Energy Union proposals are so far to a much larger extent aiming at security of (gas) supply than they are at decarbonisation.

Tags: Eastring energy efficiency Energy Union gas Maroš Šefčovič Slovakia CEE EU

Institution: EU Funds, EIB

Theme: Energy & climate, Resource efficiency

Crédit Agricole violating own coal policies with new Croatian power plant support - new report

September 10, 2015

French bank Crédit Agricole's support for a proposed major new coal plant project in Croatia is inconsistent with the bank's climate ambitions and its own sector policy on coal-fired power plants, according to a new study released today. The analysis, by Friends of the Earth France and Croatia, Zelena Istra, CEE Bankwatch Network and BankTrack, screens the risks of the 500 megawatt Plomin C project proposed for development in the picturesque Istrian peninsula, a popular international tourist destination.

Institution: Commercial banks

Theme: Energy & climate

Tags: coal, credit crunch, Plomin, Balkans, EU

Pritisak na Credit Agricole da Presante Savjentovati TE Plomin

September 10, 2015

Source: , EnergyPress.net

Danas su protiv projekta TE Plomin C na ugljen održane dvije akcije zelenih, u Parizu i Zagrebu. Cilj obje akcije je prisiliti francusku banku Crédit Agricole, koja je preuzela ulogu financijskog savjetnika HEP-a za Plomin C, da se povuče iz ovog projekta.

Institution: Commercial banks

Theme: Energy & climate

Tags: BalkanCoal, Crédit Agricole, Plomin C, Balkans