Public consultation on EIB's Energy Lending Policy - comments by ClientEarth Brussels

ClientEarth advocates for the European Investment Bank (EIB) to reinforce its support for energy efficiency and savings, suggesting that the bank develop innovative financing instruments and increase technical assistance to overcome market barriers such as high upfront costs. The organization argues that energy efficiency investments drive local job creation and economic growth, citing potential EU-wide gains of 2 million jobs and greenhouse gas emission reductions of 740 million tons annually. ClientEarth recommends upgrading the EIB's minimum energy efficiency criteria as project volume grows and explicitly calls for the exclusion of unabated coal and lignite plants from financing to avoid carbon lock-in.

• ClientEarth recommends that the EIB regularly update its lending policy to align with evolving EU energy efficiency and savings laws and policies.
• Energy efficiency and savings investments are presented as dual solutions for environmental concerns and economic growth, specifically through the creation of local jobs because installations occur where energy is consumed.
• According to the EU Energy Efficiency Plan 2011, full implementation of energy efficiency measures could create up to 2 million jobs, reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 740 million tons, and generate yearly financial savings of up to €1,000 per household.
• The EIB is viewed as having a critical role in overcoming market barriers to energy efficiency, particularly by providing affordable capital to address high upfront costs for both large and small projects.
• ClientEarth proposes that the EIB upgrade its current minimum criteria for energy efficiency projects—which require either a 20% reduction in energy consumption or savings for at least 50% of investment costs—once project numbers increase.
• ClientEarth argues that the EIB should stop financing unabated coal and lignite plants to prevent the risk of high carbon lock-in.

APA

ClientEarth (2012). Public consultation on EIB's Energy Lending Policy - comments by ClientEarth Brussels. https://www.clientearth.org/media/wy3difk3/eib-consultation-eibs-energy-lending-policy-ce-en.pdf

Chicago

ClientEarth. Public consultation on EIB's Energy Lending Policy - comments by ClientEarth Brussels. 2012. https://www.clientearth.org/media/wy3difk3/eib-consultation-eibs-energy-lending-policy-ce-en.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=ClientEarth |title=Public consultation on EIB's Energy Lending Policy - comments by ClientEarth Brussels |date=31 December 2012 |url=https://www.clientearth.org/media/wy3difk3/eib-consultation-eibs-energy-lending-policy-ce-en.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{clientearth2012public, author = {{ClientEarth}}, title = {{Public consultation on EIB's Energy Lending Policy - comments by ClientEarth Brussels}}, publisher = {ClientEarth}, year = {2012}, month = dec, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/media/wy3difk3/eib-consultation-eibs-energy-lending-policy-ce-en.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }