Environment
North Macedonian NGO warns new law is set to allow power plants on fertile land
09 November 2023 - Eko-svest opposes changing the Law on Agricultural Land in North Macedonia to allow power plants on fertile land
Portuguese Prime Minister Costa steps down amid lithium, hydrogen corruption scandal
08 November 2023 - António Costa resigned as PM as the authorities are investigating approvals for lithium mining projects and investments in green hydrogen and a data center
Protesters from local communities affected by mining and exploration disrupt mineral resources conference in Belgrade
07 November 2023 - Environmental activists and people from affected local communities interrupted a mining conference in Belgrade
EU adopts joint green bond standard
30 October 2023 - The regulation sets out requirements for issuers who want to use the designation European green bond or EuGB for their debt securities
Leaked – Serbia signs lithium exploitation agreement with European Commission
28 October 2023 - Serbia and the European Commission signed a letter of intent on a partnership for batteries and critical raw materials including lithium
Arrests in Bulgaria for enabling solar power projects on fertile land
26 October 2023 - Two officials in Bulgaria are charged with illegally lowering the quality grades of agricultural land to allow solar power plant projects
Bulgarian President Radev trying to overturn both new energy laws
19 October 2023 - President Rumen Radev is trying to prevent the use of agricultural land for electricity production and he refused to enact the Law on Energy for failing to protect consumers
Whistleblowers are crucial for response to climate change, pollution
16 October 2023 - Whistleblowers have a key role in shaping their organization's response to climate change and pollution, British group Protect said
ECF annual report 2022: Climate action for green, democratic, peaceful Europe
16 October 2023 - Emissions are still climbing and national plans aren't sufficient to contain global warming, CEO of ECF Laurence Tubiana said in its annual report
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first green bonds get go-ahead
09 October 2023 - The Republic of Srpska Securities Commission has given the go-ahead to Naša Banka to issue Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first-ever green bonds
Energy Transition Forum: People should benefit from energy transition
05 October 2023 - The Energy Community region needs a green deal with a just energy transition in its core, participants said at an event in Skopje
EU moves to curb microplastics intentionally added to products
29 September 2023 - The ban is expected to prevent the release of about half a million tons of microplastics to the environment