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The Bankwatch Podcast

The Bankwatch Podcast

By The Bankwatch Podcast

Welcome to the BankWatch Podcast by Bankwatch. We are a coalition of 16 environmental organisations from 14 countries in central and eastern Europe that expose the risks of the international finances. We will cover news, updates and in-depth analysis of how public finance impacts the environment, human rights and zero-carbon economy. We bring critical updates from the ground as well. Don’t forget to subscribe wherever you listen.
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Reconstruction of Ukraine one year after invasion: how far did we get?

The Bankwatch PodcastFeb 24, 2023

00:00
44:35
Ukraine reconstruction 2 years after full-scale invasion

Ukraine reconstruction 2 years after full-scale invasion

Last month, Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine entered its third year. Since February 2022, Bankwatch and our civil society partners in Ukraine have been closely monitoring the country’s remarkable resilience in facing the challenges of war while trying to meet its immediate reconstruction needs. 

How have reconstruction efforts advanced over the past two years? And is Ukraine’s recovery green and participatory enough? 

Mar 21, 202429:40
What’s ahead for Bankwatch in 2024

What’s ahead for Bankwatch in 2024

In our first episode of 2024, we shift the focus from our campaigns and projects to the bigger questions that will frame the work of Bankwatch, our civil society partners from Central Europe to Central Asia, and the field of international public finance in the coming year and beyond.  

It’s a big year ahead for our 5 main areas: energy transformation and EU funds, the fossil fuel phase-out, democratisation and human rights, biodiversity and finance, and cities for people.  

So what can we expect in 2024? Bankwatch’s strategic area leaders share their predictions! 

Feb 13, 202446:06
 Looking back at 2023: Bankwatch highlights and achievements

Looking back at 2023: Bankwatch highlights and achievements

2023 was an eventful year for many of our campaigns. In this year-end episode, we review highlights and achievements in 4 different areas of our work at Bankwatch. Branka Španiček discusses the state of Europe’s rivers in the context of hydropower, Christophe Jost talks about the EU’s energy transition, in particular the REPowerEU plan, Joanna Jakubowska shares her views on the just transition, and Anna Roggenbuck dissects the European Investment Bank’s problematic approach to transparency and public participation.

Dec 28, 202326:18
New investments aim to make cities greener. But can they also make them more liveable?

New investments aim to make cities greener. But can they also make them more liveable?

Climate change has a major impact on urban life, and cities are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. International investors are spending billions to help cities tackle environmental problems and adapt to the climate crisis. But are these investments really transformative for the people who live there? Are these billions also making cities more liveable, just and accessible?  

In this episode, Fidanka Bacheva-McGrath and Saša Jovanovic (Bankwatch) discuss international public investments in cities from eastern Europe to Central Asia, focusing on recent transformations, challenges and opportunities in the urban transport and waste sectors. Bermet Borubaeva, a researcher and activist in Kyrgyzstan, shares her insights about the issues with Bishkek landfill. 

Dec 04, 202326:35
The EBRD wants to expand mining to drive the green transition. But has it learned from its past mistakes?
Sep 28, 202321:46
When EU money is used for feeding countries’ gas addiction

When EU money is used for feeding countries’ gas addiction

Just as the EU is working to end its dependence on Russian fossil gas imports, and the climate crisis is wreaking havoc throughout the world, some European governments are just as keen to channel billions of euros to cement the dependence on fossil gas.

In this episode, Raluca Petcu (Bankwatch Romania) and Krzysztof Mrozek (Polish Green Network), discuss a recent report they co-authored, that revealed that the Romanian and Polish governments have together earmarked nearly EUR 4 billion from various EU funds for a raft of fossil gas projects that threaten to derail the energy transition in the two countries.

Jul 06, 202320:12
The EBRD Annual Meeting from the perspective of Central Asia’s activists

The EBRD Annual Meeting from the perspective of Central Asia’s activists

On 16-18 May 2023, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) held its Annual Meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. This year, human rights violations, shrinking civic space and marginalisation of communities in Central Asia were particularly high on our agenda. In our new podcast episode dedicated to the EBRD Annual Meeting, we interview some of our civil society partners working in the region. Activists from Central Asia share their concerns about human rights and gender equality in Kyrgyzstan, the EBRD’s approach to human rights due diligence in Uzbekistan, the challenges faced by the LBGTIQ community in Central Asia, and more. 

May 29, 202323:57
The Baltic dash for LNG: where is the energy transition heading?

The Baltic dash for LNG: where is the energy transition heading?

The scramble for fossil gas supplies to replace imports from Russia, triggered by the war in Ukraine, has driven governments in the Baltics to prioritise plans for liquified fossil gas – commonly known as LNG. But this LNG infrastructure spree is reckless. 

In this episode, Liene Krauja of Green Liberty in Latvia and Johanna Kuld of the Estonian Green Movement discuss the implications of this rash approach and what the latest developments mean for the Baltic energy transition. 

They say the focus of the Lithuanian, Estonian, Latvian and Finnish governments should be on enhancing regional cooperation. The actual priority should be to accelerate the energy transition with a view to ending dependence on fossil gas altogether.

Apr 28, 202319:04
Biodiversity on the brink: what’s holding back financing for nature in the EU?
Mar 30, 202317:55
Reconstruction of Ukraine one year after invasion: how far did we get?

Reconstruction of Ukraine one year after invasion: how far did we get?

One year ago, Russia started a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. To face the damages, Ukraine’s and international efforts to plan the reconstruction and rebuild the country, are underway. On 24 February 2023, we look back and evaluate the progress in Ukraine’s reconstruction planning throughout the past year. What worked well and what didn’t? And what will be the next steps?

Listen to our discussion with Anna Ackermann, Board member at Ukraine’s NGO Ecoaction and Policy analyst leading work on a green reconstruction of Ukraine at the International Institute for Sustainable Development, and Valeriya Izhyk, EU policy officer within Ukraine Reconstruction team at Bankwatch.

Feb 24, 202344:35
Just transition moving forward in spite of obstacles

Just transition moving forward in spite of obstacles

Territorial Just Transition Plans should steer carbon-intensive regions towards climate neutrality while addressing social, economic and environmental issues and engaging  stakeholders. After two years of planning and drafting the plans, Member States should be ready to implement them. In this episode, we explore the just transition in Bulgaria and Hungary with the help of our guests Alexa Botar, climate and energy program director at Friends of the Earth Hungary, and Ventzeslava Kojouharova, just transition campaigner at Za Zemiata, Bulgaria.

Jan 27, 202334:13
Heating and energy crisis: it’s time to stop spending EU money on new fossil fuel projects

Heating and energy crisis: it’s time to stop spending EU money on new fossil fuel projects

This winter, hundreds of millions of people in Europe are struggling to stay warm without the usual stream of Russian gas, which makes our over-dependence on this fossil fuel more apparent than ever. In fact, about 70 per cent of the energy used for the EU’s heating still comes from fossil fuels. What needs to change to ensure sustainable heating for everyone? How can we prevent future energy crises? What are the plans for decarbonising heating and how far along are we in the process? We discuss these questions with Morgan Henley, EU heating sector decarbonisation campaigner at CEE Bankwatch Network.

Dec 27, 202215:22
REPowerEU: addressing the energy and climate crisis, or prolonging the status-quo?

REPowerEU: addressing the energy and climate crisis, or prolonging the status-quo?

REPowerEU, the European Commission’s response to the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis, has the potential to accelerate the roll-out of renewables and influence energy savings, but will the funds be used for more fossil fuels projects? In this episode we take a deep dive into REPowerEU with our guests, Olivier Vardakoulias, Finance and Subsidies Policy Coordinator at CAN Europe, and Christophe Jost, Senior EU Policy Officer at CEE Bankwatch Network.

Oct 24, 202235:36
Lung Run 2022: kickstarting just transition in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Lung Run 2022: kickstarting just transition in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The 2022 Lung Run is a trail running race designed to raise awareness in communities in the Western Balkans about the need to move away from polluting practices and industries.

In this episode of the Bankwatch podcast we discuss the original idea behind the run, how we chose the location and where does the local community stand regarding just transition process.

Oct 06, 202220:42
Post-war reconstruction of Ukraine

Post-war reconstruction of Ukraine

While the fight to liberate Ukraine is still ongoing, discussions about the reconstruction process have already begun. Several proposals developed by a variety of stakeholders already exist. How do they reflect green reconstruction principles and the Ukrainian people’s needs? Listen to the latest episode of the Bankwatch podcast to find out.

Aug 24, 202224:21
Western Balkan coal pollution still massive, illegal and deadly
Jul 27, 202215:46
Behind the ‘green recovery’
Jun 29, 202216:30
Our call for sustainable finance at the EBRD annual meeting

Our call for sustainable finance at the EBRD annual meeting

In our new podcast episode dedicated to the EBRD annual meeting, Michaela Kožmínová, Communications officer at Bankwatch interviews campaigners and partners about their impressions, achievements and takeaways from the Bank’s flagship event. Learn more about our advocacy on the ground including human rights due diligence, gender equality in Uzbekistan, protection of unique biodiverse nature in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Georgia and post-war reconstruction of Ukraine.

May 26, 202229:31
Cash for just transition: are CEE countries ready to spend it well?

Cash for just transition: are CEE countries ready to spend it well?

The EU is making tens of billions of euros available for the transition of European coal regions, both from the dedicated Just Transition Fund and from other budgetary sources. Countries in central and eastern Europe are in the process of finalising spending plans, to show the Commission how they want to use the cash. How far along are they in the process, how inclusive were governments of the affected communities and – the key question – are authorities in the region planning to spend the money on the right things?

Miloslawa Stepnien, Bankwatch Just Transition coordinator, answers some of these questions and more, in the newest episode of the Bankwatch podcast.

Oct 20, 202116:15
The deadly toll of Balkan coal: air pollution limits exceeded for 3 years in a row

The deadly toll of Balkan coal: air pollution limits exceeded for 3 years in a row

This podcast episode coincides with the launch of our new Comply or Close report, a yearly look at coal-generated air pollution in the Western Balkans. From 2018 to 2020, around 19 000 people across Europe and beyond lost their lives because of air pollution emitted by Balkan coal power plants. Nearly 12 000 of these were caused by breaches of legal limits, so were completely preventable.

The Western Balkan governments are primarily responsible. But the EU is also supporting the status quo by importing dirty electricity from the Western Balkans. Listen to air pollution experts: Erika Uusivuori of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), Denis Žiško of the Centre for Ecology and Energy from Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bankwatch’s Ioana Ciuta discussing the report’s findings with our host Claudia Ciobanu. 

See www.complyorclose.org to get the report and to find out more.

Sep 09, 202122:40
Breaking down biodiversity - the third episode of the BankWatch Podcast
Jul 08, 202109:24
No time to celebrate: the 30th EBRD’s annual meeting
Jun 28, 202111:18
What is just transition? The first episode of the BankWatch Podcast

What is just transition? The first episode of the BankWatch Podcast

Listen to Aleksandru Mustata (Bankwatch just transition coordinator) interviewed by Rosa Hergan (Bankwatch Balkan community support coordinator) sharing his insights about working with coal mining communities across central and south Europe.

Jun 22, 202112:01