Cumbria mine approval ‘an appalling resolution’

Levelling-Up Secretary Michael Gove has provoked anger from environmental campaigners by approving a controversial new coal mine in Cumbria.

He granted planning permission for what could be the primary new website within the UK in 30 years after years of delay from the Authorities.

The Division for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) mentioned the coal shall be used for the manufacturing of metal and never for energy technology.

Metallurgical

Pals of the Earth described it as an “appalling resolution” that may harm the struggle in opposition to the local weather disaster whereas not changing Russian coal.

Supporters of the coking coal mine on the sting of Whitehaven in Cumbria, which is predicted to extract practically 2.8 million tones per yr, say it should create round 500 jobs.

DLUHC mentioned Mr Gove “agreed to grant planning permission for a brand new metallurgical coal mine in Cumbria as beneficial by the impartial planning inspector”.

“This coal shall be used for the manufacturing of metal and would in any other case must be imported. It won’t be used for energy technology,” an announcement learn.

“The mine seeks to be internet zero in its operations and is predicted to contribute to native employment and the broader economic system.”

Lobbied

Conservative peer Lord Deben, chairman of the Local weather Change Committee which advises the UK Authorities, condemned the choice as undermining UK efforts to succeed in internet zero.

“The UK’s hard-fought international affect on local weather is diminished by right this moment’s resolution,” he mentioned.

He mentioned it additionally “sends fully the incorrect sign to different international locations in regards to the UK’s local weather priorities”

Labour shadow local weather secretary Ed Miliband mentioned it’s “no resolution to the power disaster, it doesn’t supply safe, long-term jobs, and it marks this authorities giving up on all pretence of local weather management”.

“Waving this mine by way of additional cements Rishi Sunak as an old-fashioned fossil gas PM in a renewable age,” the MP mentioned.

The choice comes just a little over a yr after the UK hosted the Cop26 local weather summit in Glasgow, the place it lobbied different international locations to “consign coal to historical past”.

Impartial

The transfer additionally threatens to anger some Conservative MPs, with former cupboard minister Alok Sharma amongst those that have pleaded for the mine to be blocked.

Mr Sharma, who was Cop26 president, warned on the weekend that it could “not solely be a backward step for UK local weather motion but additionally harm the UK’s hard-won worldwide status”.

On Wednesday, Pals of the Earth campaigner Tony Bosworth mentioned: “Approving this mine is a misguided and deeply damaging mistake that flies within the face of all of the proof.

“The mine isn’t wanted, will add to international local weather emissions, and received’t exchange Russian coal.”