CEE Bankwatch Network

⚙️ [New tool] #Biodiversity in Europe is rapidly declining, making it more important than ever to focus on nature protection and restoration while halting harmful projects. 🍃 We often become aware of projects planned for our localities that pose a risk to #nature. But how can we stop them? By identifying and reporting these projects. In doing so, we can all act as watchdogs and help prevent future harm. That’s why we’ve created a harmful project documenting tool designed to help you collect important information.  If you become aware of a nature-damaging project, you can now:  💠 read our step-by-step guide;  💠 download our harmful project documenting tool to help you gather crucial information;  💠 connect with other individuals or groups that share similar concerns; and  plan your next steps. 🖇️ Discover our new harmful project documenting tool and act #ForNature: https://lnkd.in/dXHkzz8y

🚨 Our recent assessment of the European Investment Bank (EIB) and EBRD grievance mechanisms found the EIB Group Complaints Mechanism (EIB-CM) to be weak, inefficient, and far inferior to the EBRD’s mechanism. What does this mean in practice? 🔎 Our new case study shows how the EIB-CM mishandled complaints about the Budapest Airport expansion project. Here’s what happened:  🟠 March 2020: Civil society groups file a complaint with the EIB-CM, citing the lack of an environmental impact assessment, poor transparency, and insufficient stakeholder engagement.  🟠 October 2020: The EIB-CM confirms the project violated EU environmental laws and the EIB’s own standards, and issues recommendations for corrective action.  🟠 Four years later: No action is taken, even though the EIB was supposed to implement changes within 24 months. Instead, environmental and social damage continues, violating the rights of citizens.   📣 As the EIB-CM comes up for review this year, we’re calling on the EIB to make urgent reforms. Functioning grievance mechanisms are key to protecting human rights and promoting climate justice in development projects! Read our Budapest Airport case study here: https://lnkd.in/e_TX9Tbq

🔍 NEW BLOG: Public Participation in Ukraine’s Reconstruction    As Ukraine embarks on its recovery, the €50 billion Ukraine Facility represents a historic opportunity for sustainable reconstruction. However, ensuring transparency, inclusivity, and accountability is critical for success.    Civil society is not just a beneficiary of these efforts—it’s also a driving force for change. But how well are their voices being heard? Our latest blog examines the public participation opportunities within the Ukraine Facility and Ukraine Donor Platform, highlighting the progress made and the significant gaps that remain.    📊 Key insights from the blog:  Civil society organisations (CSOs) can submit ‘opinions’ on the Ukraine Plan, but the process lacks clear timelines, follow-up procedures, and accountability mechanisms.  The Ukraine Donor Platform engages CSOs through four annual dialogues, but representation remains limited, and the selection process needs improvement.  At the local level, new laws aim to empower citizens and IDPs to participate in reconstruction, but 30% of regulatory acts in 2023 bypassed public consultations, revealing significant gaps in implementation.    📢 What needs to change?  🔹 Clear guidelines for CSO input and follow-up processes.  🔹 Broader representation in national and international dialogues.  🔹 Stronger national participation mechanisms to ensure inclusive decision-making.    Civil society serves as the cornerstone of Ukraine's recovery. To drive meaningful change, it is essential to amplify the voices of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in decision-making processes and ensure thorough consultations at both national and local levels. 📖 Read the full blog by Valeriya Izhyk here: https://lnkd.in/dREmBQSJ

🌍💚 A fair and just transition is essential to tackle today’s interconnected global crises!       ✨ Discover the collective vision of 40+ European stakeholders for the new EU mandate.      The EU and its Member States should:      1️⃣ Ensure that the green transition leads to prosperity for all, with a strong focus on reducing socio-economic inequalities;      2️⃣ Advance ambitious and forward-looking climate, environmental and social agendas in a coordinated, coherent and mutually reinforcing manner;      3️⃣ Apply and promote proactive decision-making for a fair and just transition supported by substantial investments; and      4️⃣ Put social, climate and environmental objectives at the heart of all its internal and external actions and investments to foster a truly sustainable society.       📖 Read more - https://lnkd.in/e_yMwAwR  

Great conversation on the future of the Green Economy Transition strategy. Thank you! 👏 GET is becoming wider, covering more systems (from energy, Finance to infrastructure, agri-food), and deeper (country platforms, #GreenCities). ‼️ The EBRD still needs to incorporate #CircularEconomy in the ambitious metrics alongside Mitigation, Adaptation and Nature. As well as a strong Do No Significant Harm #DNSH criteria to give GET credibility and integrity. Work on Impact Monitoring Measurement and Verification is ongoing, we are holding our breath to hear more about it. ✅ After 20years of bankwatching, I'm glad to see such strong commitment to Green and Inclusive development, in spite of the global policy shift to protectionism, competitiveness and growing climate denial.

⚖️ We’re currently at the Eurodad conference in Barcelona meeting with our fellow experts working on economic justice.  Drawing on our experience monitoring projects financed by public development banks, we’re calling for more focus on inclusive decision-making. Why? Because meaningful public participation isn’t just a risk management tool– it’s a development goal in its own right (see #SDG target 16.7 👀). To involve the public, all development stakeholders, including the banks, must genuinely commit to participatory decision-making at all levels, especially in countries with shrinking civic space. Economic justice requires inclusive decision-making by rightsholders. Check out the programme here and join our call for #EconomicJustice4All:  https://lnkd.in/eqG5rpfB  #FfD4 #EurodadIC25 #SDGs Eurodad - the European Network on Debt and Development

🌫️ Geothermal energy is becoming an increasingly popular way to heat homes and buildings across Europe. Efficient use of this renewable energy source not only significantly lowers heating costs compared to gas-based systems, but also reduces greenhouse gas emissions and improves urban air quality.  In western Romania’s Bihor County, the municipalities of Oradea and Beiuș are spearheading this transition. ℹ️ Read all the details in our latest blog post by Teofil-Ciprian L.: https://lnkd.in/d9dcfynn

As part of our ongoing efforts to align with our core values, we’ve made the decision to step back from X (formerly Twitter) and shift our focus to platforms that better support our mission. In recent years, we’ve observed a rise in misinformation, changes to algorithms that disproportionately impact non-governmental organizations, and troubling trends such as climate change denial and harmful content. After careful consideration, we feel it’s time to prioritize engagement through alternative channels. 🦋 We invite you to connect with us on BlueSky, where we will continue to share our key messages and updates: https://lnkd.in/dP_4gJxc

☀️ Another record year for solar: Solar was the fastest growing EU power source in 2024 with solar generation overtaking coal for the first time. Accelerated clean flexibility, grid infrastructure and electrification will be needed to sustaining clear power growth, shows the new Ember report. ⛽ Gas consumption is declining for the fifth consecutive year in the EU: Total EU gas consumption fell by 20% from 2019; about a third of this decline occurred in the power sector due to the surge in wind and solar generation, decline was also widespread, occurring in 14 of the 26 countries with gas power. 🗝️ Renewables are the key for EU cutting reliance on imported fossil fuels: Without new wind and solar capacity added since 2019, the EU would have imported 92 billion cubic metres more of fossil gas and 55 million tonnes more of hard coal, costing €59 billion. https://lnkd.in/dhy8fP9W

NEW | Solar generates more EU electricity than coal for the first time in 2024 🇪🇺☀️ Renewables made up nearly HALF of the electricity mix last year, while fossil power fell to a historic low ⚡ 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/dhy8fP9W