Publications

This complaint to the EU Commission was lodged to save the protected Bulgarian Kresna Gorge from a destructive motorway that received EU funding. It alleges that the construction of the controversial motorway is already breaking EU nature laws, and warns that completing the final section through Kresna Gorge nature reserve would be catastrophic for protected animals and plants in the region.

A summary of the complaint is available too. Download the summary.

Bankwatch and our partner organisations have undertaken independent dust monitoring in Balkan countries and we have found worrying levels of particulate matter (PM 10 and PM 2.5), dust so small it enters deep into our lungs and blood streams causing irreversible damage and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Romania all plan new lignite power plants during the next few years. In contrast, most EU countries are giving up building new coal plants and seven EU states are already coal-free. Since the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank have virtually halted lending for new coal power plants, most of them are due to be financed by Chinese state banks – ExIm Bank and the China Development Bank.

This analysis of the bank’s climate action is based on the climate action database disclosed by the EIB. The database includes projects which were signed in 2016 and classified in line with the methodology approved by the bank in its Climate Strategy.