This report compiles all publicly available data on investor-state dispute settlement cases taken against EU member states since 1994. It highlights the irrefutable attack on recent EU accession countries and the environment, as well as the cost this system has already had on EU taxpayers and European democracy. The ‘investor-state dispute settlement’ mechanism has been …
Fracking Frenzy: how the fracking industry is threatening the planet
The global development of ‘unconventional’ fossil fuels such as shale gas has provoked much debate involving scientists, industry, political decision-makers, environmental groups and civil society. More than a decade of large-scale development in North America has left a legacy of environmental damage, primarily resulting from the use of high-volume horizontal hydraulic-fracturing (also known as ‘fracking’) …
Fracking Frenzy: how the fracking industry is threatening the planetRead more
Model legal frameworks for citizen-owned renewable energy
This report, by the Community Power project partner ClientEarth, argues that community power is an essential element in Europe’s low carbon energy transition. It includes case studies from Spain, Germany, Denmark and the UK that demonstrate best legal practice, and sets out 11 policy recommendations. It also explains how Member States can use existing EU …
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Financing mechanisms for community energy projects
This compilation of best practical examples contributes to the development of viable financing and investment schemes for Community Power particularly in Central and Eastern European countries. It makes recommendations to to tackle financial barriers that prevent or delay the development of community-owned energy projects in the region. It draws conclusions for an optimal mix of financial …
Recommendations for the mobilisation of public-private financing for community energy
Within the EU budget 2014-2020, the next generation of European Structural and Investment Funds comprises a minimum of €23 billion to catalyse the ‘shift to a low-carbon economy’. A mixture of different financing instruments provided by these European funds can support local governments, communities, local actions groups and other stakeholders to finance energy efficiency and renewable …
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Trading away democracy: how CETA’s investor protection rules threaten the public good in Canada and the EU
On September 26, 2014, Canada and the European Union (EU) announced the conclusion of a far-reaching economic integration agreement, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). The agreement includes an investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism, which could unleash a corporate litigation boom against Canada, the EU and individual EU member states, and could dangerously thwart …
