Looking back at 2023: Bankwatch highlights and achievements

This podcast episode explores the EU’s Social Climate Fund and development of the national social climate plans in central and eastern Europe. Drawing on recent publications by Bankwatch, E3G, Rescoop.eu and Oeko-Institut, our guests discuss the design of the plans and the extent of civil society involvement.   Join our guests Chris Vrettos, Kristina Zindulková and Zuzanna Sasiak for a discussion moderated by Maris Pedaja, in which they assess stakeholder participation, identify risks and good practices, and consider how early lessons can strengthen national spending plans and guide future EU budget negotiations.  Disclaimer: The Council of the European Union has agreed a binding 90 per cent greenhouse-gas reduction target by 2040, but with significant flexibilities and a one-year postponement of the second EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS2) for buildings and road transport (2027–2028). This risks delaying the EU’s urgent decarbonisation needs and reducing resources available through the Social Climate Fund for the most vulnerable groups. Therefore, a timely start to the implementation of the ambitious national social climate plans is essential to protect those most at risk.  

Cohesion policy is at a crossroads. While the mid-term review of the next EU budget was meant to give clarity to long-term funding priorities, the European Commission’s April communication on a modernised cohesion policy marks a fundamental shift in direction. In our latest podcast episode, we explore whether the mid-term review of the EU budget lives up to its goals. We ask the following questions: Are the national energy and climate plans integrated well enough? Will the challenges outlined in the Commission’s 2024 country-specific recommendations be met? Should large companies benefit from cohesion funding? What roles do affordable housing, water, and even defence have to play? And, perhaps most crucially, what does the Commission’s communication mean for democracy and public participation? Join our guests Florian Marin and Bogdan-Alexandru Chelariu as they discuss these pressing issues and more, offering a vital social angle on the next EU budget.  

Partizánske may be a small town in Slovakia, but it has major potential to cut emissions. In collaboration with the town’s local authority and other stakeholders, CEPA–Friends of the Earth Slovakia have begun collecting data and laying the groundwork for a modernised district heating system. In the latest episode of our ‘decarbonisation roadmap’ podcast series, we speak to Lenka Ilčíková, our just transition campaigner, about how Partizánske could lead the way towards smarter energy use. 

Petroșani, a town in Romania’s Jiu Valley, located in one of the country’s six just transition regions, suffers from high energy poverty. Despite a lack of national data, recent research by Bankwatch – conducted in close collaboration with local stakeholders – shows that Petroșani could become a prime example of a place-based solution – one that aligns climate action with social justice. In the latest episode of our ‘decarbonisation roadmap’ podcast series, we speak with Laura Nazare, our energy transformation campaigner from Bankwatch Romania, about the unique challenges Petroșani faces in addressing energy poverty.  

What does the future hold for the just transition in the Western Balkans? How can the next EU budget support the process? And what are the opportunities and challenges for coal regions? In the latest episode of our ‘decarbonisation roadmap’ podcast series, we answer these questions with the help of our guest, Nevena Smilevska, Bankwatch’s just transition coordinator for the Western Balkans. 

Over the past seven years, the extraction of peat in Latvia has increased significantly. The two main uses of peat worldwide are in the production of soil substrates and energy, with Latvia’s exports accounting for around 95% of all the peat extracted within its borders. But despite the significant climate impacts of peat extraction, Latvia is persisting with the practice. In the latest episode of our ‘decarbonisation roadmap’ podcast series, we speak with Maksis Apinis, just transition campaigner from Green Liberty, about transforming the peatland sector and how this shift could help Latvia advance its climate goals. 

In this anniversary episode, we celebrate 30 years of Bankwatch – a network founded in 1995 to push for public investments that truly benefit people and the environment in central and eastern Europe.  Fidanka Bacheva-McGrath, Mark Martin and Petr Hlobil look back at the early days and what inspired them to become Bankwatchers, the challenges they’ve faced and the impact the network has had over the decades. They also explore today’s pressing issues, from shrinking civic space to the need for sustainable and inclusive solutions.  Tune in to hear their reflections on Bankwatch’s journey to date, the lessons they’ve learned, and their hopes for the future. 

Miskolc, a city in northeastern Hungary, has already made huge strides towards decarbonisation. Now, with the help of the Friends of the Earth Hungary, the city is developing various community energy projects to build on this momentum. In the latest episode of our ‘decarbonisation roadmap’ podcast series, we speak with our just transition campaigner, Alexa Botar, about Miskolc’s community energy potential. 

Tsarkva, a neighbourhood in the just transition city of Pernik, Bulgaria, has a unique opportunity to realise the full potential of renewable energy for heating and cooling. In the latest episode of our ‘decarbonisation roadmap’ podcast series, we speak with our just transition campaigner, Ventzeslava Kojouharova, about the most viable solutions and how Pernik can lead Bulgaria’s decarbonisation journey.    

Ida-Virumaa, Estonia’s just transition region, is in a unique position to embrace community energy and become a pioneer in the field. But is the region realising its potential? Listen to our latest podcast episode of ‘decarbonisation roadmap’ series as we discuss the challenges of community energy development and how they can be overcome with Kertu Laherand, our just transition campaigner from the Estonian Green Movement.