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| Energy matters - part 3Mon, 18 Aug 2008 02:15:53 -0700 by BankwatchThis film highlights current energy developments in the Albanian port city of Vlora and explores the role of international financial institutions in the sector's development. Specifically the film questions whether the involvement of the World Bank, European Investment Bank, and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is a positive impetus to economic development in Vlora, or rather hinders more crucial developments in tourism, fishing and agriculture. The film also gives voice to perspectives of local communities on the ground, and highlights the massive resistance that these energy developments are confronting. Related: ebrd environment climate change development oil vlora albania eib world bank ifis |
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| Energy matters - part 2Mon, 18 Aug 2008 02:08:21 -0700 by BankwatchThis film highlights current energy developments in the Albanian port city of Vlora and explores the role of international financial institutions in the sector's development. Specifically the film questions whether the involvement of the World Bank, European Investment Bank, and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is a positive impetus to economic development in Vlora, or rather hinders more crucial developments in tourism, fishing and agriculture. The film also gives voice to perspectives of local communities on the ground, and highlights the massive resistance that these energy developments are confronting. Related: ebrd environment climate change development oil vlora albania eib world bank ifis |
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| Sakhalin's Black Tears - part 2Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:36:49 -0700 by BankwatchWith support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the oil consortium plans to expand the drilling and build two pipelines in one of the most seismic regions in the world. Mitsui, Mitsubishi and Shell's development will affect the world's last 100 or so Western Pacific grey whales. It will destroy the key salmon fishing area off the island by dumping one million tons of waste into the sea and threaten the livelihood of tens of thousands of fishermen. Furthermore the Sakhalinians have to live with a permanent threat that a large oil spill will destroy their environment. The future of Sakhalin lies in the hands of the international financial institutions and multinational companies. Related: ebrd environment development oil russia shell salmon grey whales sakhalin bankwatch gazprom |
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| Sakhalin's Black Tears - part 1Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:35:44 -0700 by BankwatchWith support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the oil consortium plans to expand the drilling and build two pipelines in one of the most seismic regions in the world. Mitsui, Mitsubishi and Shell's development will affect the world's last 100 or so Western Pacific grey whales. It will destroy the key salmon fishing area off the island by dumping one million tons of waste into the sea and threaten the livelihood of tens of thousands of fishermen. Furthermore the Sakhalinians have to live with a permanent threat that a large oil spill will destroy their environment. The future of Sakhalin lies in the hands of the international financial institutions and multinational companies. Related: ebrd environment development oil russia shell salmon grey whales sakhalin bankwatch gazprom |
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| Energy matters - part 1Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:23:14 -0700 by BankwatchThis film highlights current energy developments in the Albanian port city of Vlora and explores the role of international financial institutions in the sector's development. Specifically the film questions whether the involvement of the World Bank, European Investment Bank, and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is a positive impetus to economic development in Vlora, or rather hinders more crucial developments in tourism, fishing and agriculture. The film also gives voice to perspectives of local communities on the ground, and highlights the massive resistance that these energy developments are confronting. Related: ebrd environment climate change development oil vlora albania eib world bank ifis |
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| Paving over people's rightsTue, 12 Aug 2008 05:19:47 -0700 by BankwatchThe Trans European Corridor (N4) connecting Bulgaria and Greece poses serious threats to local inhabitants and wildlife, and has been carried out in violation of Bulgarian and EU laws. In February 1998 the European Investment Bank (EIB) provided a 40 million euro loan. Under the irrelevant name "E-79, Rehabilitation and reconstruction" in 2002 construction started on a section of the Trans European Corridor N4 in its part connecting Bulgaria and Greece. The project poses serious threats to local inhabitants and wildlife, and has been carried out in violation of Bulgarian and EU laws. In February 1998 the European Investment Bank (EIB) provided a 40 million euro loan for the "reconstruction" part. In fact "reconstruction" mean expansion of the existing 3 lane road to motorway standard. Related: environment bulgaria conservation development european investment bank eib bankwatch ifi road transport |
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| An opportunity or a threat? The DOE canalTue, 12 Aug 2008 05:12:33 -0700 by BankwatchRumours have been circulating about a plan to pump water uphill, with an overall elevation of 200 metres, between the Danube in Vienna and the border between the watershed of the rivers Morava and Elbe in central Czech Republic. Such a fantastical scheme motivated Czech environmental group Hnuti DUHA to go on a filming mission last spring not in the hope of capturing the latest trends in science fiction or virtual reality but instead to record the potential devastation that could be sown by the first section of the Danube-Oder-Elbe canal. Want to know what's involved in trying to link the Danube to the Baltic sea, including dubious justifications from the promoters and potentially billions of euros of public funds that would be better spent elsewhere? Related: environment development european union bankwatch ifi transport czech republic doe |
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| Pirin - crime without punishmentTue, 12 Aug 2008 04:53:28 -0700 by BankwatchPirin National Park was inscribed in the List of UNESCO's Convention on the conservation of cultural and natural heritage in 1983 for its primeval alpine landscape, old growth forests and endemic species. The site is also a National Park, which is high conservational status according to the Bulgarian environmental legislation. The history of ski-tourism above the town of Bansko dates from the 80s when a ski-zone was illegally constructed within the boundaries of Pirin National Part. In recent years, under the pressure of Bulgarian private investors (IULEN Shareholding), supported by the Bulgarian First Investment Bank which is supported by EBRD, project for threefold enlargement of the ski-zone was started in the National Park. The recent enlargement of the ski zone is in violation of a number of national and international conservation laws. There is a lack of official governmental policy for the development of nature-preserving forms of tourism as an alternative to the destructive construction of new ski-facilities. Related: environment bulgaria pirin conservation development ebrd bankwatch ifi skiing |
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| The European Investment Bank: facts and fictionTue, 12 Aug 2008 04:18:05 -0700 by BankwatchThe EIB is the largest public lending institution expected to foster development within and outside the European Union. Yet this noble ambition is accompanied by less noble deeds. The Polish A4 motorway construction project illustrates how the EIB pursues environmental protection and improvement of quality of life in reality. Improper environment impact assessment, the lack of public consultation, minimal environmental and social standards made the NGOs rise up and organise a "no reform, no money" campaign. Related: environment development eib european investment bank bankwatch ifi transport road a4 poland |
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| Happy birthday Mr. President - EIB at 50Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:37:42 -0700 by BankwatchEnvironment and social campaign groups from across Europe marked the 50th anniversary celebrations of the European Investment Bank (EIB) on 3 June 2008 by pointing out to the European Union's house bank that "Life begins at 50?We hope." The EIB has attracted sustained criticism from civil society organisations in Europe and across the world because of its non-transparent institutional nature, its lack of binding environmental and social standards?especially in its increasing lending activities in Africa, Asia and Latin America?and its continuing support for major fossil fuel extraction projects that undermine the bank's recent improved record in funding renewable energy projects. Related: environment development eib european investment bank luxembourg mines dams conservation social bankwatch counter balance |
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| Life begins at 50 for the EIB- Counter Balance street actionTue, 12 Aug 2008 02:32:46 -0700 by BankwatchMembers of 'Counter Balance: Challenging the European Investment Bank,' a new coalition of European NGOs concerned by the lending practices of the EIB, 'celebrated' the EIB's 50th anniversary with street theatre and distribution of a spoof newspaper in Luxembourg. The EIB has attracted sustained criticism from civil society organisations in Europe and across the world because of its non-transparent institutional nature, its lack of binding environmental and social standards?especially in its increasing lending activities in Africa, Asia and Latin America?and its continuing support for major fossil fuel extraction projects that undermine the bank's recent improved record in funding renewable energy projects. Related: environment development eib european investment bank luxembourg mines dams conservation social bankwatch counter balance |
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