Foreign direct investments and loans from China have in recent years enabled some of Serbia’s largest and most polluting infrastructure projects in coal, mining and transport sectors. These particular investments have been reported to be benefiting from practices that are nothing short of undercutting legal requirements specific to procurement, transparency and environmental permitting procedures.
Tag: China
Response: China’s Pledge to End Coal Projects Met With Cautious Welcome in Europe
Copenhagen, 22 September 2021:- Responding to China’s breakthrough announcement at the United Nations General Assembly on September 21 that it will ’’not build new coal-fired power projects abroad,” Just Finance International and the Western Balkan ‘end coal’ campaign monitoring Belt and Road Initiative coal projects in Southeast Europe welcome Beijing’s move to exit its international coal… Continue reading Response: China’s Pledge to End Coal Projects Met With Cautious Welcome in Europe
UN raises human rights concerns for Beijing-based AIIB’s standalone Mandalika project in Indonesia
UN human rights experts raise serious concerns about a large-scale tourism project in Mandalika, Indonesia. “Where is accountability?” ask project affected communities in an article published by BenarNews. Wawa Wang, Just Finance’s program director, points to gaps in the funder Asia Infrastructure Investments Bank (AIIB)’s environmental and social framework system as partly to blame for… Continue reading UN raises human rights concerns for Beijing-based AIIB’s standalone Mandalika project in Indonesia
Radio Free Europe: New Power Plant in Bosnia jeopardise international obligations
A Polish-Chinese investor is planning another thermal power plant in Ugljevik, contrary to the suggestions made by the Energy Community to Bosnian. Read the full interview in Bosnian with Wawa Wang, Just Finance Director here.
NGOs: Secret Chinese deal on Bosnia-Herzegovina coal plant must be urgently stopped
Environmental organizations have today expressed concerns and called on the Government of Republika Srpska to clearly explain what is happening with the Ugljevik 3 coal power plant and to urgently cancel the concession for the project. Read the press release in English here Procitajte saopstenje na Bosanskom ovde
Radio Free Europe publish interview with Just Finance on Chinese Defense Companies
An increasing number of Chinese defence companies are active in the civilian market in the Western Balkan countries. Read the full interview (in Serbian) with Nils Resare, Senior Researcher at Just Finance here
Chinese companies in Serbia – disgraced in international operations
Zijin Blacklisted by investors and pension funds Multilateral company Zijin currently operates a copper and mining complex in Bor. The company is accused of severe pollution in several countries and has been found to have violated the UN Convention on Biological Diversity by dumping large amounts of waste into a river in Papua New Guinea.… Continue reading Chinese companies in Serbia – disgraced in international operations
Asia Times: Chinese investment puts a cloud over the Balkans
Since 2016, Beijing’s coal power investments in the region have nearly tripled. This is despite commitments made by the Western Balkan leaders to deliver clean energy and low carbon infrastructure. Raising questions about the health and environmental cost. Read full story.
Project Syndicate: The AIIB’s Transparency Deficit
Transparency and public participation are paramount in mitigating the environmental and social risks of large-scale infrastructure projects. But the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is not heeding the message, even as the climate emergency and irreversible biodiversity loss reach critical levels. Read full story.
New Europe: EU sees red over China’s polluting coal plants in Southeast Europe
NGOs call grow to end China’s industry carbon emissions overseas, meet neutrality goals. Read full story.