Bor, in north-eastern Serbia, is one of the country’s most polluted cities. While citizens protest their toxic air and water, Chinese mining company Zijin, which runs the city’s large-scale copper mining and smelting complex, is expanding its operations without permits, local consent or transparency.
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China’s 2021 “international coal-exit’’ pledge: a transparency problem
Download briefing as pdf here March 2022 China’s pledge to stop building new coal-fired power plants abroad, announced during the UN General Assembly in September 2021 – and reiterated during a EU-China dialogue on climate in October 2021 – was met with enthusiasm. Yet, half a year later, little is known about the extent of… Continue reading China’s 2021 “international coal-exit’’ pledge: a transparency problem
92 civil society organizations call on financial institutions to avoid taxonomy-aligned greenwashing
March 10, 2022 Paris, March 10th, 2022 – A month after the European Commission approved the inclusion of fossil gas and nuclear energy into the EU taxonomy, 92 NGOs and CSOs call on financial institutions to reject this greenwashing attempt by excluding both energies from their “sustainable” or “green” funds and bonds. This open letter… Continue reading 92 civil society organizations call on financial institutions to avoid taxonomy-aligned greenwashing
Serbia’s E-763: How China is constructing a high-speed road without a license
Highway E-763, which connects Belgrade and Montenegro, has been built with impressive speed outside the Serbian city of Cacak. But local communities complain of noise, pollution and devastated eco systems. The main contractor, Chinese state-owned company CCCC, is accused of excavating gravel for the road without obtaining the necessary permits.
Radio Free Europe: The Morava River Ecosystem pays the price for the construction of Corridor 11
The latest report by the international organization Just Finance, which investigates Chinese investments around the world, states that several laws were violated during the construction of one of the most important roads in Serbia.
China Dialogue: China’s overseas coal pledge yields mixed results in Serbia and Bosnia
The Balkan nations are among the first to feel effects of President Xi’s announcement of an end to support for coal projects, as struggles over energy transition persist.
Frankfurter Allgemeine: Frankfurter Allgemeine: Is China stopping investments in European coal-fired power plants?
“China will keine neuen Kohlekraftwerke im Ausland bauen. Opfer könnten nun Projekte auf dem Balkan werden. Umweltschützer sind erfreut, bleiben aber skeptisch.”
NGOs Hail Chinese Banks’ Exit from Bosnia’s Controversial Ugljevik III Coal Plant Project
The future of a planned 700 MW Ugljevik III coal power plant in Bosnia and Herzegovina is in doubt after one of the project companies, Sunningwell International Limited, confirmed that Chinese bank loans will not be available for the project.
The Beijing-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB): Global leader in infrastructure finance at what cost? The AIIB’s Approach to Transparency and Public Access to Information
The climate emergency and the alarming loss of the planet’s biodiversity are closely related to ill-conceived large scale infrastructure projects. These include power plants that generate greenhouse gas emissions for decades to come, large hydro dams, mining projects and export corridors that slice through the world’s remaining surviving wild areas and intact forests. In addition… Continue reading The Beijing-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB): Global leader in infrastructure finance at what cost? The AIIB’s Approach to Transparency and Public Access to Information