https://bankwatch.org Tue, 08 Sep 2026 08:32:09 +0000 Mon, 07 Sep 2026 11:41:25 +0200 Michaela Kozminova 156611 2026-09-07 11:41:25 2026-09-07 11:41:25 The Corridor Vc motorway through Bosnia and Herzegovina was due to be completed in 2012. As of August 2026, however, only around 45% of the route has been built, with costs climbing to nearly EUR 5.2 billion.   This briefing examines nine cases along the motorway that together reveal a pattern of cost increases and delays, corruption allegations, disputed procurement, unresolved property disputes, and communities excluded from key decisions.   Setting these failures against Bosnia and Herzegovina’s broader governance challenges, the briefing provides recommendations for the EU and the international financial institutions involved in the project.]]> Thu, 27 Aug 2026 13:57:09 +0200 Dimitar Dimitrovski 156590 2026-09-01 16:15:52 2026-08-27 13:57:09 This issue paper examines the environmental and social risks associated with the planned 156-megawatt Mount Runa wind farm in the Ukrainian Carpathians and the role of financing provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) – through its Energy Security Support Facility – and Oschadbank.  It highlights concerns over the project’s potential impacts on valuable ecosystems, forests, water resources, protected species and habitats, as well as issues arising from the fragmentation of the project’s environmental impact assessment, including the exclusion of associated infrastructure such as access roads and power lines.  The paper also details the environmental and social risk requirements applicable to EBRD intermediary financing, arguing that the Mount Runa case highlights broader challenges around cumulative impact assessment, biodiversity protection and safeguard enforcement in Ukraine’s renewable energy development.  Finally, it provides recommendations for strengthening environmental protection, improving spatial planning for renewable energy, and ensuring that future investments in Ukraine’s green recovery avoid ecologically sensitive areas and comply with robust environmental and social standards.  This publication is also available in Ukrainian.]]> Wed, 29 Jul 2026 08:00:37 +0200 Gosia Zubowicz 156483 2026-07-29 13:35:53 2026-07-29 08:00:37 Since becoming operational in 2021, the EU’s Modernisation Fund has disbursed more than EUR 20 billion, making it one of the EU’s largest financing instruments for energy investments in central and eastern Europe. This report assesses the performance of the Fund at the halfway point of its operations and examines whether the Fund, initially designed to operate until 2030, is delivering on its objective of helping lower-income EU Member States transition away from fossil fuels.    This publication updates Bankwatch’s 2025 assessment of the Fund and comes at a critical moment for EU climate and energy policy. Its findings aim to inform decision makers at both EU and national levels in the context of the Commission’s 2026 review of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) Directive, which provides the legal framework for the Fund. In its July 2026 ETS proposal, the Commission proposed extending the Fund until 2040 and ending support for fossil fuel investments from 2031 onwards.]]> Tue, 21 Jul 2026 13:15:07 +0200 Magda Wiejak 156456 2026-07-21 13:31:03 2026-07-21 13:15:07 The Social Climate Navigator is an interactive digital tool which clarifies 16 key concepts closely associated with the Social Climate Fund. The Navigator offers more than definitions - it visually illustrates how the social and climate aspects of each concept are interconnected, demonstrating why they cannot be treated in isolation and why both are fundamental to achieving a just and effective green transition.]]> Thu, 16 Jul 2026 14:47:32 +0200 Magda Wiejak 156443 2026-07-16 14:47:32 2026-07-16 14:47:32 Tue, 30 Jun 2026 16:53:12 +0200 Magda Wiejak 156447 2026-07-16 16:56:48 2026-06-30 16:53:12 Tue, 30 Jun 2026 12:08:29 +0200 Magda Wiejak 156333 2026-07-03 12:11:45 2026-06-30 12:08:29 Our final report from the LIFE RePower the Regions project shows how towns and regions across 9 countries are taking concrete steps toward decarbonisation.]]> Tue, 30 Jun 2026 09:02:49 +0200 Gosia Zubowicz 156283 2026-06-30 17:59:16 2026-06-30 09:02:49 This publication is also available in Albanian, Bosnian, Macedonian, Montenegrin and Serbian.]]> Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:34:24 +0200 Magda Wiejak 156440 2026-07-16 14:59:34 2026-06-29 14:34:24 Thu, 25 Jun 2026 13:26:25 +0200 Gosia Zubowicz 156249 2026-06-25 13:54:03 2026-06-25 13:26:25