Environmental activists have been stunned by the government’s decision to give the green light to a new coal mine in Cumbria.
Levelling up secretary Michael Gove approved the plans for the metallurgical coal mine, which will produce coking coal to be used in steel production, last night. The £165m facility will be the UK’s first new coal mine in 30 years.
Lord Deben, chair of the climate change committee, who as John Gummer was a former environment secretary, said the Woodhouse Colliery scheme was “absolutely indefensible”. Alok Sharma, who was president of the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow last year, has said the approval would damage Britain’s international reputation.
Cumbria County Council had given approval for the scheme near Whitehaven in 2020, and ministers signalled approval in 2021 before calling in the decision.
The government has claimed the mine, which will generate the same level of emissions as putting 200,000 cars on the road, would have a “broadly neutral effect” on global greenhouse emissions, as coking coal for the steel industry would otherwise have to be imported.
