EcoLur
"EcoLur" Informartional NGO has sent an enquiry oto Head of Yerevan Office at EBRD Valeriu Razlog, which says:
“Dear Mr. Valeriu Razlog
As it’s known, in 2006 EBRD funded the construction of SHPs in Armenia in the frames of “ARMENIAN RENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRAMME” loan allotted to Cascade bank in 2006. As the name of the program and set objectives implies (program category - Environmental Category F1), 15 million USD was directed for environmental purposes. Nevertheless, the bank website displays no more information whether or not these objectives have been implemented. Under the information in the press (http://www.arka.am/ru/news/economy/21605/), fragmental data are available that banks possessing loans for SHP, have an opportunity to take part in Clean Development Mechanism and to sell quotes for СО2. “With the support of the EBRD-EIB Multilateral Carbon Credit Fund (MCCF) Emissions Reduction Purchase Agreement - ERPA was concluded between Ameriabank CJSC and Stichting Carbon Purchase Intermediary (CPI), a special purpose vehicle created to acquire carbon credits for the participants in the MCCF,” the news agency said in 2010.
Taking into consideration increase in number of SHPs in Armenia and accumulating socio-environmental problems, as well as the provisions of the Aarhus Convention “On Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters”, we would like to ask you to assist in providing the following information:
1. What are amounts of all EBRD loans, direct of mediated, the funds of which were used to construct SHPs in Armenia mentioning each loan and its validity term,
2. Which SHPs are constructed with the funds of EBRD loan,
3. Which companies, operating SHPs, take part in the purchase agreement of certified emissions through Multilateral Carbon Credit Fund – MCCF and what is the extent of funds,
4. Whether other development banks, for example KfW, can make use of MCCF services or they have intermediates,
5. Whether EBRD examined the operations of SHPs constructed with EBRD loans and whether the banks possesses information about the findings of these examinations, whether the activities on loan were assessed,
6. Whether EBRD policy includes continuous funding of SHP scheme development in Armenia and through which financial mechanisms.
For our part, “EcoLur” NGO expresses its willingness to provide the minutes of the public hearings on SHP projects, as well as assessment of the hearings submitted to the Environmental Expertise of Nature Protection Ministry of Armenia.”
March 25, 2013 at 16:46