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The Western Balkans and the Energy Union: Will the EU address carbon lock-in beyond its borders?

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The Energy Union must find ways to prevent state support for the production of fossil fuel energy by the European Union’s immediate neighbours. The EU cannot afford to have newly acceding members holding up progress towards the new 2030 climate goals or watering down future policy making.


Activists help put the brakes on Balkan hydro projects

Source: Richard Lockhart, Newsbase

Balkan governments are under mounting pressure to curb the construction of hydropower plants (HPPs) in national parks and wildlife areas, where hundreds of projects are planned or underway.

Environmental campaigners have already scored successes in halting new HPPs. In late July, Croatia’s environment ministry rejected Hrvatska Elektroprivreda’s impact study for its 68-MW Ombla HPP near historic Dubrovnik,

Courts in Republika Srpska (RS) have twice this year backed activists’ claims that environmental assessments on proposed plants in the Sutjeska National Park were flawed.

Energy Union - torn between decarbonisation and fossil fuels


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The vision of the European Commission's Energy Union proposes making Europe a world leader in renewables and energy efficiency, but at the same time emphasises investments undermining that goal, in particular massive gas infrastructure within Europe and to import gas from the Caspian region.

To mobilise investments for energy efficiency, Commission needs to put money where its mouth is

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Clear guidance is needed more than public assurances to make the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) be indeed a vehicle for energy efficiency. Counter to public statements, the current set-up does not promise to be effective.


Guest post: Croatia and the Energy Union: the European Commission's unwarranted obsession with gas

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Building the Energy Union, the European Commission pretends that all is well for renewables in Croatia and unnecessarily fixates on diversifying gas supply instead of managing demand.


Southern Gas Corridor / Euro-Caspian Mega Pipeline


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The Southern Gas Corridor, a system of mega-pipelines meant to bring gas from the Caspian region to Europe, is unnecessary in light of gas demand projections in the European Union's 2050 Energy Strategy. Neither will the project make European countries independent from Russian gas. At the same time, the USD 45 billion investments will boost Azerbaijan's dictatorial regime and cause damage to local communities and the environment in transit countries like Turkey and Italy.

Ukraine nuclear lifetime extensions require impact assessment in compliance with Aarhus and Espoo convention

On several occasions the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development stated that operations of its clients should comply with all international treaties and other legal obligations. In spite of these reassurances, Energoatom in Ukraine keeps ignoring its international obligations, as outlined in the Espoo Convention, in the processes of assessing the life-time extension of its nuclear reactors.

Entwicklungshilfe für Discounter: Wie Lidl mit Hilfe von Weltbankkrediten Geschäfte in Osteuropa macht

Source: Philipp Jahn, Andrea Miosga, Frank Konopatzki, Monitor, ARD

Georg Restle: „Er gilt als der größte Discounter Europas und fast jeder in Deutschland kennt ihn: Lidl. Milliardengewinne mit billigen Lebensmitteln, das ist das Geschäftskonzept des Supermarkt-Giganten. Aber es gibt auch eine ganz andere Geschichte über Lidl. Und die eignet sich ganz sicher nicht fürs schöne Werbe-Image des Billig-Discounters. Guten Abend und willkommen bei Monitor. Wenn Sie an Entwicklungshilfe denken, denken Sie wahrscheinlich an Brunnen, Schulen oder Krankenhäuser. Ganz sicher nicht an millionenschwere Kredite für eines der reichsten Einzelhandelsunternehmen der Welt.

Latvia and the Energy Union: biomass is a blind spot

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To make sure Latvia’s energy path does not lead into a dead end for sustainability, the Energy Union should facilitate alternatives to unsustainable fuelwood.


[Campaign update] Ombla hydropower plant nature impact assessment rejected

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The Croatian Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection has refused Hrvatska Elektroprovreda (HEP)'s nature impact assessment for the Ombla hydropower project near Dubrovnik.


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