Rishi Sunak
Climate warning
Climate warning
Patrik Lobergh
89 w
New British coal mine under way - the project arouses strong emotions
For the first time in nearly 40 years, a new British coal mine could open in the coastal town of Newhaven. The project arouses strong emotions. For the environmental movement, the opening is a betrayal of the climate goals. But many residents of the town believe that the mine brings hope for the future.
The mining project was approved in October 2020 by the county's local politicians.
The British government has vacillated several times on the issue. In December 2022, the country's Minister for Planning and Local Government, Michael Gove, gave permission for planning permission for the new coal mine.
According to the British government, the coal from the mine in Newhaven is to be used for steel production - not for coal-fired power.
The UK aims to be carbon neutral by 2050.
Judging by the row of boarded-up shops along the high street, the glory days of the small town of Newhaven in the county of Cumbria in north-west England are over.
Life here once revolved around a thriving mining and shipping industry. Today, only the museum of the now closed Haig Colliery is a reminder of ancient days.
The mine closed in 1986 during the wave of cutbacks that swept the British mining industry. But after the government last December granted planning permission for a new coal mine in the area, a budding hope seems to have begun to return to the town.
Martin Branney, who lives in Newhaven, believes the mine could be good for the whole of Britain.
"Now we are too dependent on other countries – just look at the energy issue. Britain is too sensitive," he told the AP.
Activists campaign for the opening of a new coal mine in Newhaven in north-west England. However, the project is criticized by the country's environmental movement.
Activists campaign for the opening of a new coal mine in Newhaven in north-west England. However, the project is criticized by the country's environmental movement. Jon Super
The town's mayor Mike Starkie from the Tories conservative party also supports the project.
"This will be a huge boost to the economy and spark other business opportunities," he says.
The mayor believes that mining, like rugby, is part of the culture of Newhaven.
If the plans come to fruition, the colliery, which is scheduled to be operational in 2025, would be the first in 37 years to open in the UK and generate 500 new jobs.
The mine is estimated to produce close to 3 million tons of metallurgical coal, so-called coking coal, annually. The coal is to be used for steel production and approximately 85 percent is intended to be exported.
But the project is controversial, to say the least.
The British environmental movement believes that the mine in Newhaven will affect the climate goals extremely negatively. The UK aims to become carbon neutral by 2050.
Even internationally, the country's government is accused of climate hypocrisy.
Maggie Mason from the local environmental organization South Lakes Action on Climate Change points out that a mine opening has major consequences for the entire country.
"I think more will suffer from the decision compared to those who benefit from it - and that includes the people of Newhaven," she told the BBC.
In January, the environmental group Friends of the Earth sued the British government for the approval of the building permit.
Like Betamax
The coal mine has also caused division among the local politicians. Tim Farron, Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for the county of Cumbria, believes that the decision to open a coal mine is untimely.
"Not to be disrespectful, but it's a bit like celebrating the opening of a factory producing Betamax cassettes," Farron said after the government decision in December, according to The Guardian.
He was thus referring to the video system that lost the so-called video war against the VHS cassette in the 1980s.
Labor is also critical of the decision, and has announced that it will stop the opening of the coal mine if it ends up in government.
That the issue is, to say the least, complex is also summarized by Pancho Lewis at Lancaster University, who through the research project "Climate Citizens" is trying to get citizens to get more involved in the climate issue.
"As long as so-called 'green jobs' continue to be a rhetorical promise rather than something concrete in people's lives, support for fossil fuel projects like the Whitehaven mine is likely to continue," he told the AP.
Ny brittisk kolgruva på gång – projektet väcker starka känslor
För första gången på nära 40 år kan en ny brittisk kolgruva öppna i kuststaden Newhaven. Projektet väcker starka känslor.
https://www.nyteknik.se/samhalle/ny-brittisk-kolgruva-pa-gang-projektet-vacker-starka-kanslor/2013460
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89 w
This is to shocking, I don't know how best we can enlighten more people to conserve environment, but lets keep advocating , they will learn from our actions
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@john_linus_tom_775 Conservative people need education through advocacy, external pressure and time. However We Don't Have Time so let's enforce advocacy and pressure!
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Why do people don't love nature
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@harrison_wambui Too many people see nature as an endless resource that can be exploited for profit and greed
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UK has renegaded on its pledges towards net zero race by 2050.
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Coal mining causes acid mine drainage, which causes heavy metals to dissolve and seep into ground and surface water.
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Such devastating stories breaks our hearts 😢
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The state promising a sustainable future, and leaders fighting the process, ironic
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#NoMoreCoal @Sunak.
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Rishi Sunak in the news for all the wrong reasons
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@munene_mugambi The political signal which UK is sending to the world is devastating
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@munene_mugambi Absolutely 🥺!!!
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Wish residents could understand that there is no hope for future when such mines are approved
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This is ironical.
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I wonder if their aims to be carbon neutral by 2050 will be valid?
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@patrick_kiash Not with their current political course...
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@patrik_lobergh I agree with you, they choose profit over the people.