The West Cumbria Coal Mine
One of the very first Labour MPs Thomas Richardson was a miner, who represented West Cumbria from 1910 – 1918. His father was killed in a pit explosion in 1885. Mining has a long ‘heritage’ in the area, both of disaster and of solidarity among a workforce constantly in danger. Do we need another coal mine?
What kind of mine?
This mine is for coking coal to make steel and would be mined under the sea near Whitehaven. It has been under discussion since 2017, and a coalition of campaigners including Friends of the Earth, South Lakes Action on Climate Change (SLACC) and Keep Cumbrian Coal in the Hole (KCCH) have opposed it from the beginning.
Coal is a fossil fuel, emitting CO2. As signatory to the 2015 Paris Agreement the UK has to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. But the developers, West Cumbria Mining (WCM) have persuaded Cumbrian politicians the mine won’t increase emissions, because the greenhouse gases it’ll emit will prevent, via market mechanisms, the greater emissions from the transport of coking coal currently sourced from America to the UK & EU. It will ‘substitute’ for them.
WCM also admits they want to mine here because the UK is a ‘high royalty’ and low wage regime. The 500 jobs they claim will come to West Cumbria has been naturally welcomed by all politicians. The area desperately needs jobs, but there is little mining expertise in the local workforce. Are these the right ones?
And our steel industry is in terminal decline, so there is little need in the UK for coal of the kind the mine would produce. Big progress is also being made on alternative steel production methods using renewables . And the strange argument about the ‘market’ seems to consider that the market for coking coal is predictable, a contradiction in terms because the whole idea of markets is that they can’t be predicted.
WCM have argued away the ‘end-use’ emissions, but campaigners calculate the project would release 9 million tonnes every year until 2050.
The campaign against the mine
In October 2020 the County Council decided in favour of a proposal which had undergone many revisions, this time due to threat of legal challenge by KCCH. Among other things it recognised the UK’s obligations for net zero by 2050, and shortened the mine’s lifetime to 31st December 2049. In its first application WCM wanted to operate until 2070 and it was later shortened to 2050.
Opposition to the project grew thanks to local & national campaigning and it now has international attention. Prior to the October decision the Secretary of State Robert Jenrick reserved the right to ‘call it in’ for Public Inquiry but he decided against, saying it was a local issue only. Pressure began to build with mass letter-writing and petitioning, and SLACC’s lawyers called on Jenrick to think again.
After the government cross-party Committee on Climate Change published its 6th Carbon Budget in December, its chair Lord Deben wrote to Jenrick suggesting he needed to think again if the Budget’s requirements were to be fulfilled . These Budgets set out, sector by sector, how reduced emissions can be achieved. Ahead of the UK hosting COP26, a swell of opinion was growing at home and abroad that this proposal would seriously undermine the UK’s credibility on climate change. In March Jenrick bowed to pressure and finally called it in.
The Public Inquiry
The Public Inquiry started on 7th September 2021 and finished on 1st October .
The Inspector Stephen Normington, a senior professional planner, has heard the arguments, and legal teams from FoE, SLACC (against) and WCM (for) have cross-examined expert witnesses. He will consider how the arguments weigh in planning / legal terms and make a report to the Secretary of State, who will then make a judgement based on this. Everyone has been impressed with his courtesy, fair-minded attitude and close attention to detail.
SLACC continues to crowd-fund to support their legal work . Do support them if you can.
Unusually, the Council decided not to take part, even though the Council Committees supported the plan.
If you already sent an objection to the Council (thank you!), your letter will be included in the material the Inspector considers. He has the whole file. The Council documents are here https://planning.cumbria.gov.uk/Planning/Display/4/17/9007
Interested Parties
Events
We have organised a series of events as part of this Campaign. Here are the details, along with other related events:
Saturday 9th October 12-3 pm (approximately), Circular Community Wildlife Walk – St Bees via the Coast to Coast path – we’ll be walking through the Pow Beck Valley the site where the Rail Loading Facility will be situated with a wildlife expert. Register for the event here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/circular-community-wildlife-walk-st-bees-via-the-coast-to-coast-path-tickets-178607819797
Tuesday 12th October 3-6 pm, Cumbria Green Jobs Summit – A great opportunity to find out about the potential for Green Jobs in Cumbria including what examples of what Green Jobs could be available. Register for the event here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cumbria-green-jobs-summit-tickets-170274681155
Saturday 16th October 2.30 – 4 pm, Friends Meeting House Cockermouth Art Craft Climate & Stuff Launch of the ‘Loving Earth’ hanging that brings together hand crafted panels made by local climate activists and is part of a wider Quaker project heading to COP26. And an opportunity to reflect on local artist Fliss Watts’ Mirror Boxes. No registration required
Monday 18th October 6:30-9 pm, From Mining Heritage to Green Jobs – Two films & a discussion for our time at the Helena Thompson Museum – A cultural event focusing on the industrial heritage of West Cumbria and exploring the question – Do green jobs offer a viable alternative to traditional industries like mining for the people of West Cumbria? The panellists will be Anne Chapman from the Think Tank Green House, Valerie Hallard, who previously worked for the Cumbria Careers Service and has more recently been a member of the General Synod for the Diocese of Carlisle and Julia Parks the local filmmaker who created Workington Red. The discussion will be chaired by Janett Walker C.E.O of Antiracist Cumbria. Register for the event here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/from-mining-heritage-to-green-jobs-two-films-a-discussion-for-our-time-tickets-171823738427
Wednesday 20th October 6. 30 – 8.30 online Launch of the Copeland People’s Climate Panel’s recommendations. This is the first of the Zero Carbon Cumbria’s People’s Panels. Its 30 randomly selected residents have been considering in depth how to tackle climate change in Copeland. Come & hear what they’re recommending. Details to follow
Saturday 23rd October 7 30 pm Pushpanath Krishnamurthy, who is walking from London to COP26:Walking across the world for Climate Justice and Fairtrade at the Keswick Pencil Museum