CEE Bankwatch Network

🌍 How do we build a just transition for communities across Europe and beyond? Join us on 5 December from 10:00 to 13:00 CET at the Press Club Brussels for our event ‘Voices of transition: Shaping the just transition future’. 📽 The event will start with ‘Blazing the just transition trail’, a short documentary highlighting inspiring stories from Poland and Romania, followed by a dynamic panel discussion on how to support just transition efforts through EU policies and financial support. 👉 https://lnkd.in/dZeKZctE Miłosława (Miłka) Stępień Veni Kojouharova Maris Pedaja Piotr Czerniejewski Anastasiia Bushovska

🌍 We call on the governments of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia to take action to expand the Emerald Network at the meeting of the Bern Convention next week. As signatories of the Bern Convention, these countries have a responsibility to establish sufficient protected sites to safeguard both nature and the communities that depend on it. The Western Balkans host some of Europe’s most pristine mountains, rivers, and wetlands, home to endangered species found nowhere else. This global biodiversity hotspot is under threat and urgently needs protection. Ministries of Environment, the time to act is now: 🇦🇱 Albania: Kumbaro Mirela, Ministry of Tourism and Environment. 🇲🇪 Montenegro: Damjan Ćulafić, Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Region Development. 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina: Nasiha Pozder, Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism. 🇲🇰 North Macedonia: Izet Mexhiti, Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning. 🇷🇸 Serbia: Irena Vujović, Ministry of Environmental Protection. It’s time to protect the Western Balkans – for people, for nature, for the future. 🌿 #EmeraldForRivers hashtag #WesternBalkans hashtag #Biodiversity Perangua - Global network of local activists EuroNatur Foundation

Yesterday, our policy officer Nina LESIKHINA, together with Anabella Sibrian, co-facilitated an informal dialogue at the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights. The discussion focused on development finance institutions and their role in promoting human rights.  Here are some of the key takeaways from the dialogue:   ✔️ Community-led development is essential for effective and inclusive progress.   ✔️ Mandatory and continuous human rights due diligence is crucial for reflecting changing contexts.   ✔️ For human rights to rise above politics, countries need to adopt strong human rights regulations that align with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.   ✔️ Creating a safe civic space is vital for making investments feasible and ensuring meaningful positive impacts.   ✔️ Information disclosure and engagement with rights holders are non-negotiable criteria for ensuring transparency and accountability.   ✔  Access to effective remedial measures is a human right that must be protected and respected.   ✔️ We need more development banks in the room and on board to keep the dialogue going! To learn more, read our recent assessment of the European Investment Bank (EIB) and EBRD grievance mechanisms: https://lnkd.in/e7B2pGWv #UNForumBHR #BizHumanRights

🔝 Continuing the Just Transition Fund should be a top priority for the new European Commission. It must build on the tremendous progress already made – from setting up management fund systems to building capacity – all with the aim of driving the just transition. Keen to know how the Just Transition Fund can help regions in transition? 🎧 Tune in to our latest podcast episode to find out: https://lnkd.in/dmNQvGTg Mags Bird WWF European Policy Office

🔎 At the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights currently taking place in Geneva, our policy officers Anna Roggenbuck and Nina LESIKHINA are shining a light on pressing issues outlined in our latest report: ‘Holding the European Investment Bank (EIB) and EBRD accountable: Are their grievance mechanisms effective?’ Both institutions play a crucial role in financing development projects around the world. When things go wrong, their grievance mechanisms should provide effective remedial measures for affected communities, especially in countries with shrinking civil society space and worsening human rights conditions. Our analysis reveals that the EIB Group Complaints Mechanism (EIB-CM) lags far behind the EBRD’s Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM). Here are some of our main findings: 💡 The EIB-CM lacks independence. The absence of direct reporting to the Board, budget autonomy, and the need to agree on final conclusions with EIB management undermine its legitimacy and fairness. 💡 The EIB-CM process lacks clarity and transparency, leaving complainants uncertain about what to expect, including possible outcomes and the remedial options available. 💡 IPAM needs to adjust its eligibility criteria for complainants to make the mechanism more accessible for affected rights holders and civil society organisations. 💡 Unless both banks accept their responsibility for the damage and negative consequences resulting from their maladministration and develop a policy framework to fulfil their role in contributing to remedial action, they will not be able to fully align with international human rights standards. 📢 As both mechanisms come up for review next year, we're calling on the banks to strengthen them, as they are key to protecting human rights and promoting climate justice in development projects! Read our report and follow us for more updates: https://lnkd.in/e7B2pGWv #UNForumBHR #BizHumanRights

👏 The positive impacts of the just transition on carbon-intensive regions in recent years have been immense. Not only have the regions started to actively work towards decarbonisation, but they’ve also formed a thriving community through various projects and platforms. 🚀 Curious about what the future holds for the just transition? Listen to our latest podcast episode to find out: https://lnkd.in/dzcyyD56 Miłosława (Miłka) Stępień WWF European Policy Office

Albania’s, North Macedonia’s and Serbia’s governments have proven to be willing accomplices in Azerbaijan’s abuse of #COP29 by signing new agreements on gas infrastructure. But will the EU act to defend climate integrity in the #WesternBalkans? Read more in our new blog post by Pippa Gallop - https://lnkd.in/dBB4MVYi

🌿 The Drin is the longest and largest river in Albania, home to unique biodiversity and several fish species found nowhere else in the world. Many large dams have been constructed, but the upper Black Drin still flows free. 🌊 By expanding the Emerald Network to include the Black Drin, Albania can protect this extraordinary ecosystem and ensure the long-term preservation of its unique species. At the upcoming Bern Convention Standing Committee meeting this December, we urge Albania to take a stand for its rivers and biodiversity. The Emerald Network can help save rivers now and prepare for Natura 2000 🌍 #EmeraldForRivers #BernConvention #BalkanBiodiversity #Natura2000

❌ Unfocused, unrealistic and unaffordable – three adjectives that sum up the misguided hydrogen strategies of Hungary, Poland and Romania. The lack of connection between policy objectives and reality reflects a political perception of hydrogen as a magic bullet, when in practice it’s almost completely missed the target.  📑 Read more about their empty promises in our latest blog post by Johanna Kuld: https://lnkd.in/dScjQirx