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.
Sign the petition
Global picture
· 4 more year
· 2 million tonnes of coal
· 6 million tonnes of CO2
· 16,000 tonnes of methane
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? Retweet our petition and spread the word!
Employment, Energy and Environment 