EIB fact sheet 4

This fact sheet by Friends of the Earth International critiques the environmental policies and practices of the European Investment Bank (EIB), arguing that there is a significant gap between the Bank's official rhetoric on sustainable development and its actual investment activities.

• The EIB claims that environmental protection and improvement are its primary operational priorities and that it applies the highest environmental standards, specifically those established by the European Union.
• Despite its stated goals, the EIB continues to finance large-scale fossil fuel projects and aviation infrastructure, the latter of which receives over 2 billion euros annually, contradicting its own sustainable development and climate change policies.
• The EIB has set specific environmental financing targets, including ensuring that 30-35% of its total loans within the EU are environmental loans and that renewable energy accounts for up to 50% of new electricity generation financing in the EU by 2008-10.
• For projects outside the EU, the EIB claims to follow EU standards while considering local laws and, where EU standards are absent or inappropriate, utilizing international best practices such as IFC Safeguard Policies on indigenous peoples and ILO labor standards.
• The EIB created three internal bodies in 2002 to improve environmental performance: the ENVSC (inter-departmental committee), ENVAG (expert group for evaluation), and ENVU (Environmental Unit). However, NGOs argue these have added little value as they rely on existing staff and the Bank still lacks sufficient environmental expertise.
• NGOs criticize the EIB's information disclosure policy for containing 'escape clauses' that prevent the timely provision of project information to affected communities and organizations.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (n.d.). EIB fact sheet 4. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/EIB_fact_sheet_4SPapril.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. EIB fact sheet 4. n.d. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/EIB_fact_sheet_4SPapril.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=EIB fact sheet 4 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/EIB_fact_sheet_4SPapril.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternationalndeib, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{EIB fact sheet 4}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/EIB_fact_sheet_4SPapril.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }