UK’s New Coal Mine Plans Foreshadow Massive Carbon Emissions

by Vins
Published: Last Updated on

An October 2020 Guardian article reported that West Cumbria Mining will open “the UK’s first new deep coalmine in 30 years” after local government officials approved the company’s plans, and despite the protests of Extinction Rebellion and other climate campaigners, who have argued that “the new coalmine, which will reportedly emit 8 million tons of carbon annually, contradicts the UK’s pledge to be carbon neutral by 2050,” Simon Goodley reported.

West Cumbria Mining plans to extract around 2.7 million tons of coal each year from the new site. The company has asserted that the coal from the proposed Woodhouse collier will not increase emissions because it will replace imports that have previously been imported from the US.

Source: Simon Goodley, “First New Deep Coalmine in UK for 30 Years Gets Go Ahead,” The Guardian, October 2, 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/oct/02/first-new-deep-coalmine-in-uk-for-30-years-gets-green-light

Student Researcher: Lilith Ritchie (Indian River State College)

Faculty Evaluator: Elliot D. Cohen (Indian River State College)