West Cumbria Mining intends to open a mine near Whitehaven in Cumbria
(Picture: Getty Images)A coal mine in Cumbria has been given the go-ahead by Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove.
This will be the first mine to open in the UK in 30 years, much to the dismay of climate change activists.
Critics have said that the new mine will undermine the UK’s climate targets, while proponents argue that it will reduce the UK’s need to import coal.
So what are West Cumbria Mining’s plans for the new mine and what impact could it have?
What is the new mine?
The West Cumbria Mining project has been in the works since 2014. The company intends to build an underground metallurgical coal mine in Cumbria.
Planning was approved in 2019, then the approval was suspended in 2021 before the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. At the time, the Government’s climate adviser warned that the new mine would increase carbon emissions.
The aim of the new mine is to produce coking coal for the UK and EU steel-making industry.
What is coking coal?
Coking coal, also called metallurgical coal, is a type of coal used to make coke, which is a coal-based fuel used in steel production.
Where is the new mine?
The new mine will open near Whitehaven, a small coastal town in Cumbria, just west of the Lake District National Park.
Why do people support the new mine?
Supporters of the new mine say it will create around 500 jobs for local people. Others said it will reduce the need to import coal, which they argue is better for the environment, though critics have pointed out that most of the coal produced will be exported.
According to the West Cumbria Mining project, the UK and Europe imported 52 million tonnes of seaborne metallurgical coal from the US, Australia, Russia and Colombia in 2019.
“This is a political decision”
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) December 7, 2022
Lord Deben, Chairman of the Climate Change Committee tells Conservative MP Mark Jenkinson after the first coal mine in 30 years is given the go ahead in Cumbria#Newsnight | https://t.co/P0zxS1Voyd pic.twitter.com/c0fjw4e37K
What critics have said about the mine
Critics have said that opening the mine will undermine the UK’s climate targets.
Think tank Green Alliance has said that the mine could release as much pollution as 200,0000 cars.
Critics also say the demand for coking coal is declining and that steel producers are turning towards greener methods of production.
Lord Deben, the chairman of the Climate Change Committee, has described the decision as “absolutely indefensible” and said it "runs counter to the UK’s stated aims as COP26 President and sends entirely the wrong signal to other countries about the UK’s climate priorities".
Tony Bosworth, an energy campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said: “The evidence against this mine is huge. It will have a significant impact on UK climate targets, while the market for coal is already disappearing.
“The UK steel industry wants to move to greener production, like its counterparts in mainland Europe who are rapidly moving away from coal,” he said in the Guardian.
Why is coal bad for the environment?
Coal is a fossil fuel that produces carbon dioxide when it is burned, contributing to air pollution.
It also produces toxic elements such as mercury and arsenic, as well as soot.
