The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, Michael Gove has approved the first new UK coal mine in three decades despite concern about its climate impacts among experts, activists and Conservative MPs.
With the approval, coking coal would be mined in Cumbria for use in the UK’s and the rest of the world’s steel production.
According to critics, the mine would hinder climate goals at a time when demand for coking coal is falling. However, proponents assert that the mine, which is close to Whitehaven, will provide jobs and lessen the demand for coal imports.
The fate of the mining project had been in doubt for two years following the local county council’s original approval of the mine in 2020.
Read also: AfDB, Global Center on Adaptation build capacity to access climate adaptation finance
Recall that early in 2021, before the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, the project’s approval was put on hold after the government’s climate change adviser said it would raise carbon emissions. The UK climate change committee (UKCCC ) noted that 85% of the mine’s coal output would be exported.
The chairman of the CCC, Lord Deben, described the proposal as “absolutely indefensible” and said its approval would damage the UK’s leadership on climate change.
However, Planning authorities reviewed the initial decision and sent a report to the secretary of state of communities to review and make a final judgement.
Gove was quoted as saying in the letter announcing the decision that he agreed with the planning inspector’s advice to approve the mine. According to the letter, the secretary of state was “satisfied that there is currently a UK and European market for the coal.”
The letter added that Gove agreed with the assessment that the impact of the coalmine on carbon emissions would be insignificant and relatively neutral.
Eco-Nai+ had earlier reported that activists and experts around the world flayed the proposed coal mine, noting that granting a new coal mining permit is not just hypocritical but sends the wrong message to the entire world and especially the developing countries.
Story was adapted from BBC.
