Æquilibrium Consulting GmbH: more than 18 years of international work experience covering more than 50 countries

Design and reform of financing schemes and mechanisms supporting water, waste and decentralized energy infrastructure investments

Æquilibrium Consulting has played key roles in efforts to establish or reform Eco-Funds in several countries, including Albania, Croatia, the People's Republic of China, Greece, Jordan, Laos, Lithuania, FYR Macedonia, the Maldives, Mali, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Egypt, Vietnam and Romania. In addition, Æquilibrium Consulting's Principals have led, or played key roles in, evaluating several Eco-Funds, including national funds in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Maldives, Poland, Vietnam and Slovenia and a provincial fund in Russia. Most of these Funds actively support water, waste and energy infrastructure investments. Advice and assistance typically included:
- Institutional and strategic positioning of the Funds within the existing financing market;
- Drafting/reviewing of Fund legislation and statutes;
- Elaboration of the Funds' organizational, governance and management structures;
- Development of short and long-term spending strategies;
- Formulating the Funds' operating priorities, principles and rules;
- Development of the Funds' project cycle management procedures;
- Preparation of reporting policies and promotional materials;
- Reform/design of revenue sources (eco-taxes, user charges, voluntary instruments, etc.);
- Prepare the Funds for managing bilateral and multilateral development funds.

Assessing the needs for infrastructure, project identification and project preparation

Filling the role of Environmental Finance Expert, Æquilibrium Consulting participated in a Project Appraisal Mission for GTZ to identify priorities in urban environmental infrastructure in India. Æquilibrium Consulting was responsible for examining and recommending options for the sustainable financing of urban environmental infrastructure and the use of economic and financial instruments for covering the costs of environmental infrastructure services and for reducing negative impacts on the environment.

Æquilibrium Consulting was involved in preparing a large, multi-annual technical assistance program for the Albanian water sector for ADA and the European Commission (IPA).

Æquilibrium Consulting prepared a new ADA water sector support strategy for the Republic of Moldova.

Financing strategies

In Moldova Æquilibrium Consulting has been involved in facilitating the implementation of a national water supply and sanitation financing strategy. The work focused on developing an action plan to further rationalize and increase water finance, supporting the Ministry of Finance in better integrating water finance in the Government's medium term expenditure framework, as well as international promotion of water sector investment opportunities in Moldova.

In Poland and Lithuania Æquilibrium Consulting's Principals have been involved in preparing strategies for financing water infrastructure investments required to achieve compliance with EU directives.

Analytical and comparative studies

Æquilibrium Consulting has been entrusted to draft a report for the OECD entitled "Financing Water and Environmental Infrastructure - The Case of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia".

Æquilibrium Consulting has elaborated research, analysis and recommendations concerning opportunities and constraints for foreign investment in the water/wastewater sector in southern Poland.