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The
tightening of legislation concerning financial
transparency for NGOs and media in EECCA has led
to significant repercussions for civil society
and democratic processes, prompting
international concern. Russia's "foreign agent"
law, mirrored by other countries, has targeted
NGOs involved in democracy-building, human
rights, and environmental protection, affecting
not only organizations but also residents. As
the climate crisis necessitates civil society
involvement in climate policy, restrictions on
democratic freedoms hinder the EECCA countries'
ability to adapt to forthcoming disasters,
emphasizing the crucial role of strong
democracies in addressing climate change and
ensuring sustainable development.
CAN
EECCA launches a mini-grant program to support
CSOs in the region. The main objectives of the
program include strengthening the capacity of
CSOs in climate activism, promoting innovation
and cooperation, and strengthening civil society
voices. The program will provide up to 2000
euros to four organizations, supporting projects
that promote sustainable development and
cooperation in the EECCA region.
Despite sanctions
imposed on Russia following its invasion of
Ukraine, Russian oil continues to flow into the
EU, with an estimated €1.1 billion in direct tax
revenues going to the Kremlin from EU imports of
refined products made from Russian crude. This
loophole in EU sanctions allows refineries
outside of the bloc to process discounted
Russian crude into refined oil products, which
are then legally sold to embargoing
jurisdictions like the EU. This has enabled
Russian fuel to enter not only the EU but also
the UK and the US, exacerbating the conflict in
Ukraine by providing significant revenue to the
Kremlin, which can be used to fund further
military aggression.
The
village of Khevi, nestled amidst the Likhi Range
in Georgia, faces environmental and safety
challenges due to the construction of the Rikoti
section of the East-West Highway. This highway,
a vital link between eastern and western
Georgia, has been plagued by controversies and
delays, with landslides and safety concerns
overshadowing its promised benefits of improved
travel times and capacity. Critics have raised
questions about the quality of construction
practices and the selection of routes,
highlighting the potential dangers posed by the
linear infrastructure project.
In
2024, Gazprom boasted surpassing Turkmenistan as
China's top gas supplier by volume, yet Ashgabat
still leads in export earnings. Turkmenistan's
income from gas exports to China during the
first quarter amounted to $2.4 billion, while
Russia earned $2 billion for the same period due
to China's preference for cheaper Russian gas
amid the Kremlin's financial constraints.
Despite Russia's current volume advantage, its
position may be precarious as Turkmenistan plans
to expand its gas fields and capacity, aiming to
supply major projects like the TAPI
pipeline.
Over
the past 10 years, the amount of harmful
emissions in Tajikistan has almost doubled,
mainly due to the transportation sector. Experts
suggest developing "green" public
transportation, given that the main source of
air pollution is transportation, which emits
carbon monoxide from incomplete combustion of
fuel. To improve the situation, they suggest
expanding the network of monitoring stations,
developing specific emission reduction plans and
encouraging the use of public transport,
renewable energy sources, as well as energy
efficiency and waste recycling
programs.
Water
shortages in some regions of Kazakhstan are
becoming commonplace, despite catastrophic
floods in spring. The state is increasing
spending to maintain water availability in the
country's three largest rivers, having allocated
more than 30 billion tenge over the past 10
years. However, the reduction of water flow in
the rivers is observed, which has a negative
impact on the economy and ecology of the
regions, and the issue of water supply remains
relevant.
Belarus
is closely connected with the history of uranium
mining, which began in the ore mountains on the
border of East Germany and the Czech Republic
back in the 19th century. After the capture of
the famous German company Wismut by Soviet
troops in the 1950s, uranium ore arrived in
Brest for transit to the Soviet Union. However,
it was not until after the Chernobyl accident in
1986 that people began to realize the dangers of
radiation, finding uranium contamination and its
decay products in the city.
The
Georgian parliament passed the law "On Amnesty"
on November 15, 2023, exempting from criminal
liability persons who have formalized
state-owned agricultural land plots. However,
political analysts have raised concerns that
this law could be used to legalize land
confiscation from citizens and suppress their
legitimate demands. An essay published by the
Heinrich Böll Foundation examines disputes over
land rights and suggests criminalizing citizens
to easily seize land for investment and other
interests.
Eco-activists in Almaty
clashed with the Forum shopping mall over plans
to create a cat figure made of biodegradable
balloons, sparking a dispute over the
environmental acceptability of the event. After
pressure from activists, the mall stated that
all balloons used for the figure were
biodegradable, but activists continued to
campaign against the project. Eventually,
construction was halted after the conflict
escalated, sparking a wave of negative comments
and accusations.
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