The Cumbria coal mine planning decision will be delayed until after COP27
Even after another delay, a decision is now expected to be made regarding a new coking coal mine by the end of the year
Despite repeated appeals from the government and the Cumbrian county council, it seems as though the government has once again been unable to decide whether to give the green light to the construction of a large coking coal mine in Cumbria, with the announcement now expected after the UN Climate Summit in Egypt at COP27.
It was expected that a decision could be reached this week on the controversial development, but yesterday, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), said that Ministers would need some more time to weigh the case, and set the goal of an announcement by 8 December.
Earlier this week, a spokesperson for the Department of the Environment, Science and Technology told us that comments further on the anticipated planning decision cannot be made at this stage. The decision, which was originally scheduled to be made a year ago, has been delayed several times since then.
The project is led by the company West Cumbria Mining. This company has said in the past that it would issue a statement once it has reached a final decision on the planning application.
The government can avoid a potentially awkward diplomatic situation at the UN Summit if it waits until after COP27 to make a decision. This is because it avoids a possible awkward diplomatic situation that may occur at the UN Summit if the government approves plans for a new coal mine. In addition, it encourages other nations to move away from coal sooner rather than later.
It means that the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Michael Gove, who took over the DLUHC from the new Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, last month, will be responsible for making a final decision regarding the proposed coal mine.
After Sunak announced a major U-turn this morning – abandoning his previous statement that he would stay in the UK to prepare for the Autumn Statement due to be delivered on 17 November – he confirmed that he will in fact be attending COP27 next week in Egypt, after initially stating that he would need to stay in the UK to prepare for the statement.
As the development of a new mine in Cumbria by developer West Cumbria Mining is about to begin, there has been a great deal of controversy on the local, national, and international levels over the plans.
In 2021, the government was forced into a decision on whether to give the go-ahead to the development after campaigners, scientists, and the National Climate Change Committee repeatedly pushed for plans to be filed with central government for a thorough review before making a final decision on whether to proceed with the development.
In order to create local jobs, the project’s advocates argue that it will take the steel industry off carbon-intensive imports of foreign coal, while making it less dependent on foreign imports of coal. Approximately three million tonnes of coal are expected to be extracted annually from the mine. This is mainly from under the seabed. Cumbria Mining plans to close the mine by 2049. It argues that this will meet the UK’s commitment to achieve net zero emissions by that year.
A backlash against this carbon dioxide-intensive project has been expressed by campaigners who feel it could undermine the UK’s short and long-term climate targets while also damaging its diplomatic credibility when it comes to climate change on a global level.
Meanwhile, a number of companies in the UK steel industry have dismissed claims that coal from the mine would displace Russian imports. There are no steel imports from Russia that Tata Steel needs in order to operate. In addition, the documents suggest that British Steel will not be able to use the coal that comes from Cumbria, regardless of what the documents suggest.
In addition, critics have also made the argument that given the fact that the global steel industry is exploring coal-free manufacturing technologies that utilize fuels like hydrogen and other low-carbon fuels, the project runs the risk of being abandoned and thus becoming an expensive stranded asset that cannot be recovered.
There was strong criticism of the move by the government to once again prolong the decision as to the future of the project by environmental groups.
Tony Bosworth, the energy campaign manager for Friends of the Earth, said that next week’s climate summit in Egypt gave the government an “ideal opportunity with which to rebuild its battered green credentials by rejecting this damaging and unnecessary coal mine and it is a pity they didn’t take advantage of it”.
“Secretaries of State can come and go, but when it comes to proving that this mine is illegal, we are still as strong as ever,” he explained. “Effectively, it will increase emissions, whereas the market for coal produced from this plant will have a rapidly diminishing market as steel factories begin switching to greener methods of production.”
It is impossible to believe that yet another delay in the planning decision may not result in a positive change. Tom Fyans, interim CEO of the countryside charity CPRE.
There is nothing more out of touch than a government that refuses to ban the first new deep coal mine to be built in the UK for 30 years. This is according to Mr. Green. A leaders’ meeting is imminent to attempt to hammer out the details for a zero-carbon future. Furthermore, the UK is debating whether to commit to the pollution that has plagued the internet for decades.
“There is no if or but. Coal needs to be buried forever. European steelmakers are investing in the latest new technologies for producing ‘green steel,’ thereby eliminating the need for coking coal. In order to build a prosperous future, we must follow the example set by the most successful industrialists by using science, technology, and abundant renewable energy sources.
Source- Businessgreen
Prachi, an accomplished Chief-Editor at The Sustainable Brands Journal, has 15+ years of experience in Europe, the Middle East, and India, managing 90+ global sustainable brands. She’s a prolific writer in sustainability, contributing to various publications. Prachi’s unwavering passion and expertise make her a recognized authority, driving positive change and inspiring a sustainable future.
