Why Open A New Coal Mine, When We Are Supposed To Be Moving To Greener Energy?

21/02/2021

The government have a stated aim to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. That's, I guess, a bold ambition. However, it would appear to be one that the government is not really committed to. If they were, would they really be permitting the building of the first new deep coal-mine in 30 years?

The Woodhouse colliery has been given the go-ahead, in spite of protests from environmental campaigners

The mine is expected to produce 2.7m tonnes a year of coking coal, which is normally used in steel-making. Steel and chemical factories in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire and Port Talbot are expected to burn the coal’s output.

The mine is expected to emit 8m tonnes of carbon annually.

Campaigners managed, through the use of a judicial review, to get the planning permission amended so that is has to close by 2049. However, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has stated; “there may be no domestic use [for coking coal] after 2035”.

Steelmakers are expected to be forced to deploy new technology to reduce their emissions, to comply with the UK’s net zero targets, meaning that the investment in opening a new deep coal-mine is ill-judged.

Green industries provide more secure jobs and should be seen as a far more sensible, and ethical, investment.

If the government are at all serious about their aim for zero emissions, they have to put a stop to this coal-mine.