We’re pleased to be able repost this from South Lakes Against Climate Change. The campaign against the West Cumbria coal mine had been fighting for the last decade. The case for the mine has been in tatters for a long time.
Protest at the site of the proposed mine – image by Pete Cannell CC0
The Secretary of State (SoS) of Levelling Up Housing and Communities (LUHC) has accepted that there was an “error in Law” in the previous decision to grant planning permission for the mine. The Government will therefore not be defending the decision, made in December 2022, to grant planning permission for the new mine, and will argue that it should be quashed.
In a reasoned and careful “Statement of Reasons” the SoS explains that the re-assessment is the result of the Supreme Court’s recent judgement on the “Finch v Surrey County Council” case. It is now clear that the combustion emissions, i.e. from the use of the Cumbrian coal, should have been assessed as an indirect effect of the new extraction in the Environmental Impact Assessment.
If that is agreed by the Court, the planning application goes back to the SoS to make a fresh decision.
This is HUGE news. We don’t know what West Cumbria Mining will do, but we are pretty sure that the Hearing of our legal challenges will open on the 16th July as scheduled. Only the Court can quash the planning consent, and that is what we are hoping for.
Solidarity with stop the Cumbrian Coal Mine Campaigners
Keep the carbon in the soil: Scientists across the globe are clear that if we are to prevent catastrophic global warming then we can’t continue to develop new oil fields and dig new coal mines.
Coal energy has the highest carbon footprint of all energy types.
In December 2022 the Westminster government gave the green light for the development of a new coal mine at Whitehaven on the Cumbrian coast. The decision flies in the face of statements made by the Tories took while the UK hosted COP 26 in Glasgow. But post-COP and during an ongoing cost of living crisis their mantra has become ‘energy security’. This apparently justifies opening a new licensing round for North Sea oil and gas, massive investment in nuclear and a U-turn on coal. As we write this it looks likely that the Tories will use their majority in the House of Commons to strike out a Lords amendment that would ban all new coal mining.
The new mine is intended to supply coal that can be processed into coke for use by the UK steel industry. Tory ministers argue that coke is essential for steel production and that domestic production will cut the carbon emissions resulting from the transportation necessary for imported coal. But the focus of the two major UK steel producers is on decarbonising steel production by using green hydrogen, moreover the Cumbrian coal is unsuitable for steel production:
‘The UK steel industry has been clear that the coal from the West Cumbria mine has limited potential due to its high sulphur levels,” said Chris McDonald, chief executive of the Materials Processing Institute, which serves as the UK’s national centre for steel research.’
So, in reality, the government’s arguments are simply a poor attempt at greenwashing. It’s estimated that if the project goes ahead around 83% of the 2.8 million tonnes of coal extracted each year will be exported. They talk about it being a Net Zero coalfield. It’s the same sleight of hand as they use to argue that the North Sea will become a Net Zero oil and gas producing area. You electrify the industrial processed required for extraction, offset other emissions and don’t count the carbon embedded in the coal (or oil) because that’s the responsibility of the end user! All in all It looks like the government’s coalition to go ahead is an entirely political strategy aimed at pushing back genuine action on climate in favour of the big corporate interests that dominate energy production.
Lord Deben, Tory chair of the UK Climate Change Committee stated in June 2022 that:
‘As far as the coal mine in Cumbria is concerned, let’s be absolutely clear, it is absolutely indefensible. First of all, 80% of what it produces will be exported, so it is not something largely for internal consumption. It is not going to contribute anything to our domestic needs in the terms we’re talking about, the cost of energy and the rest.’
The other argument used by ministers, however, is one that we do need to take seriously. Whitehaven is a one-time coal and iron mining town and currently has high levels of deprivation. Proponents of the mine say that it will guarantee 500 jobs for 50 years. Putting the investment required for the mine into almost any other form of local economic activity would produce more jobs and certainly investing in renewables in the Whitehaven area would provide, more and more long-term sustainable jobs. But while local people have no faith in their being such investment the pull of the mine remains attractive.
Two court cases aimed at stopping the mine are due to be heard near the end of October 2023. In the meantime, a coalition of national and local environmental organisations are organising resistance. On Saturday 22nd July there will be a day of action in Whitehaven with a rally, leafletting and door to door conversations with local people.
We want to coordinate solidarity contingents from Scotland. If you are able to join It would be very helpful if you could answer these three questions.
I am interested in joining the delegation to Whitehaven on 22nd July. I could provide a car and take passengers. If it’s an option, I would prefer to stay overnight and return on Sunday 23rd.
Please reply to triple.e.scot@gmail.com (you can use the contact form on this site if you wish) and cc edinburghclimatecoalition@gmail.com
We are happy to repost this call from the Coal Action Network. Please sign the petition.
The biggest coal mine in the UK just applied to get even bigger.
Demand the Welsh Government act on its own policies and laws against coal mining to rule out this climate catastrophe going ahead – sign this petition now to add people pressure where it’s needed. This coal is for industry, but read why we don’t need to set fire to our future to keep warm this winter.
Local picture
The huge opencast Ffos-y-fran coal mine, in Merthyr Tydfil, has inflicted 15 long years of explosives blasts, noise and dust pollution on local residents. When the coal mine was approved, residents were promised this would stop and the coal mine would close nearly 3 months ago in September 2022.
Now the mining company wants to mine coal nearly 4 years longer – with nothing to stop it from trying to extend coal mine again. Enough is enough. This has already been too much for many local residents.
The mining company has failed to ensure its workers are trained into other industries with a future – using its failure as a bargaining chip for the coal mine to be extended. We ask the Welsh Government to instead include these workers in a Universal Basic Income pilot to support them in finding alternative employment with a future.
The Welsh Government has a policy to consider coal mine applications centrally if the local Council want to approve them. This is because the impacts are not just local, but affect national climate commitments and global climate change. Expanding the Ffos-y-fran coal mine could become a massive setback for Wales’ progress towards reaching net-zero, and reputation internationally as leading the UK towards a sustainable future.
Scotland has just announced an effective ban on all forms of new or expanded coal mining for any purpose. Applications like expanding Ffos-y-fran highlight that the Welsh Government also needs to announce a blanket ban on new coal, or risks become a climate laggard.
Sign our petition asking Welsh Climate Change Minister Julie James to rule out letting this application to expand the UK’s biggest coal mine from being granted.
Thanks,
Daniel, and the team at Coal Action Network
P.S Got Twitter? Retweetour petition and spread the word!
Employment, Energy and Environment 