Cumbrian Energy Revolution

Towards a Sustainable Cumbria

  • Home
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Nuclear News
    • Renewables News
    • Farm & Forest News
    • Renewable Heat News
    • Energy Efficiency News
    • Taking Action News
    • Other Sectors News
  • Nuclear
    • Nuclear General
    • Sellafield
    • New Reactors
    • Radwaste
  • Coal
  • Renewables
    • Renewables General
    • Wind
    • Small Hydro
    • Tidal
  • Farm & Forest
    • Farming Energy
    • Wood Fuel
    • Anaerobic Digesters
  • Renewable Heat
    • Renewable Heat
    • District Heating
    • Geothermal
  • Energy Efficiency
    • Benefits of Efficiency
    • Programme for Cumbria
    • Electrical Appliances
  • Taking Action
    • Microgeneration
    • Local Authorities
    • Community Action
    • Action by Individuals
  • Other Sectors
    • Other Sectors
  • Contact

Coal

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

The 8th & 10th September were Inquiry days when ordinary people  had the opportunity to speak. The vast majority were against, and put forward a really wide range of evidence – very much worth watching. Below are the videos from these sessions:

Events

We have organised a series of events as part of this Campaign. Here are the latest events:

Mass MP lobby in the week commencing 7 March

Stand in solidarity with campaigners against the Cumbrian coal mine.

As we wait for a decision from Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, following the public inquiry, we have an important opportunity for groups and individuals to lobby their MPs to speak out in Parliament and make representations to Michael Gove to reject planning permission for the controversial mine.

We have created an action guide to support you with this action, which includes more information about the campaign, a press release template and our social media toolkit.  You can also sign up for a webinar on Tuesday 8 February, 7-8:30 pm, where you’ll find out more about the campaign, including hearing from local people who have been campaigning against the coal mine.

Sign up here for the webinar: https://foe.uk/eu6w2 (please sign up to the webinar even if you are unable to attend on 8 February but would like to be sent a link to the recording and the slides)

 

 

Share

Latest News

  • Cumbria’s ‘Clean’ Energy Strategy?

    The Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership is consulting on its Clean Energy Strategy. It’s important for everyone in Cumbria concerned to protect our planet to take a look at this and respond. It closes on June 22nd 2022 Here’s the introduction to the response from W Cumbria & N Lakes Friends of the Earth. ‘Nuclear energy is not clean energy. Nuclear is the third highest carbon emitter after coal-fired and natural gas electricity generators. Life cycle emissions are 66 grams of carbon dioxide for every kilowatt-hour compared with 9 grams per kilowatt-hour for wind and 32 grams per kilowatt-hour for solar. “Valuing the greenhouse gas emissions from nuclear power”: A critical survey: Benjamin K. Sovacool Energy Policy 36 (2008) 2940– 2953 Summarised at https://journalistsresource.org/environment/nuclear-power-greenhouse-gases/ Furthermore, nuclear waste is the longest lasting waste we have created on this planet, and there is still no tested and operational GDF in the world. The NDA often describes its activities at Sellafield as ‘clean-up’: why is clean-up needed when they are, according to this strategy, clean in the first place? The idea that a strategy embracing nuclear is a secure investment is contradicted by all the facts familiar with nuclear projects: failures of investment; high risk due to out-of-control accidents such as Chernobyl & Fukushima; enormous cost and time overruns. There is nothing in this strategy to indicate how these existing realities will be dealt with other than vague words of support by government.’ Here is the consultation:https://wh1.snapsurveys.com/s.asp?k=165391843491 And here is the strategy: https://www.thecumbrialep.co.uk/resources/uploads/files/220530_CumbriaCoast_FINAL.pdf

  • Magnox Reprocessing to End July 2022

    Operations to end at Sellafield’s Magnox Reprocessing Plant. Sellafield’s Magnox plant will stop reprocessing in July 2022 and enter a new era of clean-up and decommissioning. It will mark the end of an operational journey that began in 1964. The plant has played a crucial role in UK energy generation. It received and reprocessed nearly 55,000 tonnes of spent (or used) nuclear fuel from power stations across the country, and Italy and Japan. That allowed the UK’s 11 Magnox power stations to keep low carbon electricity flowing to homes and businesses in England, Scotland, and Wales. The final Magnox station closed in 2015. Spent fuel from the UK’s current fleet of AGR nuclear power stations will continue to be sent for storage at Sellafield.   NDA 17th May 2022  

  • Cumbria Green Jobs and Young People

    Cumbria has a key role to play in tackling the climate and nature emergencies. But does the region have the skilled workforce to deliver the progress needed in the next decade? There is enormous potential for new jobs in energy efficiency, low-carbon heating, solar power, and offshore wind across the county as we transition to a low carbon economy. Investing in these sectors could bring huge social and economic benefits to both the local community and the climate. Based on analysis of a youth survey conducted between August – October 2021, we have produced a new report reflecting on the aspirations of young people in Cumbria and their interest in green job opportunities. For me and many young people who call Cumbria home there are many things to love about the place we come from – the landscape, the community, the culture. For all of these reasons, I would like to remain in Cumbria for as long as I can. But jobs, especially sustainable jobs, are currently in short supply. I will most likely have to leave Cumbria to access the job I want to do; yet many young people would choose to stay here, working with our communities or our land, if the jobs were available. The provision of green jobs in Cumbria is a necessity not only in order to provide young people with the secure and stable careers they want, but to provide the jobs we need in order to transition to a sustainable, green economy. Throughout my time in education, I was offered little information about the potential for green careers in the area. Young people need to be given chances to learn about the opportunities and apprenticeships available to them. The survey tells us that there is a clear appetite amongst young people to gain more understanding of green jobs opportunities in areas such as renewable energy, and agriculture, forestry and land management. Also, young people have high aspirations for future earnings, raising the question of whether these aspirations can be met locally. The climate crisis, and the scope of the action we need in order to tackle it, can often feel overwhelming. However, we can start to make a difference by taking local steps such as the ones recommended at the end of this report and providing green jobs and education opportunities to young people across Cumbria.  Isabella Bridgman, youth climate activist Access report here You can view videos of what green jobs and how they benefit our communities here

  • Russian Coal

    Despite the claims made by its supporters, opening the proposed Cumbrian mine would not end our dependency on foreign coal. West Cumbria Mining make it clear that their product would replace coal from the US, not from Russia. Steelmakers use a blend of different coals, the majority of which would still need to be imported, even if the coal mine was opened. In addition to this, one of the only two potential UK customers for Cumbrian coal – British Steel in Scunthorpe – has said that they may not be able to use it because of its high sulphur content. The best way to reduce the UK steel industry’s dependence on imported coal would be for it to turn to green steel, made without the use of coal. That’s already happening in the rest of Europe and is what the UK steel industry needs to be competitive in the 21st century.

  • May 5th election: Questions for candidates

    West Cumbria & North Lakes FoE and Climate Emergency West Cumbria have today (Friday 15th April) sent out 6 questions on the climate crisis and the  energy crisis to candidates for the Cumberland election on May 5th. A summary of the responses will be published prior to polling day. If you meet your candidate you might want to ask them too. The questions are: 1. Have you been helping the County to achieve its net zero-carbon emissions by 2037 through the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership? If so please provide details 2. What will be the chief challenges for the new structure in Cumberland in pursuing this path? 3. What do you as a Councillor hope to contribute to achieving the goal of zero carbon in the following main sectors? waste / energy / land-use / housing / transport 4. What energy mix you think is most suitable for Cumberland? 5. What other steps should Cumberland take to mitigate the energy crisis? 6. Do you know of any climate protecting projects elsewhere, either in the UK or internationally, that Cumberland could draw on to our benefit? Please provide details.  

Cumbrian Energy Plans

There is huge potential to create ‘green’ jobs in Cumbria – employment opportunities that are good for both people and the environment. New research carried out for CAfS shows that the county could benefit from 9,000 new jobs in industries ranging from renewable energy and construction to transport. The findings are shared in their report The Potential for Green Jobs in Cumbria. Published on Friday 12 March 2021, the report will contribute to the crucial opportunity we have to plan for an economic recovery of Cumbria that accelerates the transition to a cleaner, net-zero emissions local economy after the devastating impacts of Covid-19. The report, supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, shows that: there are more than 1300 opportunities for green apprenticeship creation over 3 years in Cumbria, spread across the boroughs: Allerdale – 260; Copeland – 160; Barrow – 300; Carlisle – 350; Eden – 80; South Lakes - 160.

Cumbria is one place that could really benefit from a green recovery plan. A better route to economic prosperity after Covid-19 is urgently needed, one that is anchored in the industries of the future, rather than those of the past. A green recovery plan could be built around four key pillars: Cumbria’s rich potential for green economic development; Economic renewal through local net zero plans; Community participation in plans; Investment to make it happen.

Research by Friends of the Earth has revealed that creating 250,000 green apprenticeships leading to jobs including in renewable energy, woodland creation, and peatland restoration, would help address the crises in youth unemployment (that could cost today's unemployed young people £39bn in future earnings), and climate breakdown. Released in March 2021 the report “An emergency plan on green jobs for young people – why and how?” (by Transition Economics for Friends of the Earth) lays bare the scarring economic impact of youth unemployment from Covid-19 on individuals, local authorities, and the overall country. But the research also shows the huge potential for fighting the climate crisis with green jobs country-wide if apprenticeships are given proper government support.

Cumbria Renewable Energy and Capacity Deployment Study  A report by sustainable economic and social development consultants, SQW for Cumbria County Council published in August 2011 giving a detailed assessment of the renewable resources available.

The Scope for Renewable Energy in Cumbria  is a report published by the precursor body to Britain’s Energy Coast - Cumbria Vision in 2009. This envisioned the creation of almost 8,000 by 2050 from developing renewable energy.

The West Cumbria Economic Blueprint is the plan put forward in June 2012 by Britain’s Energy Coast, a public/private partnership made up of local authorities and nuclear groups in the area.

A Sustainable Energy Agency for Cumbria: Business Plan and  Annexes and Supporting Information - commissioned by Cumbria Vision and the North West Development Agency in 2009. A detailed plan for an Energy Agency to promote low-carbon distributed energy and energy efficiency. Cumbria has a huge renewable potential, and a number of leading renewable energy companies including  Gilkes and Energy4All. Despite this, it is not as effective as other areas in accessing funding and support for sustainable energy. Unfortunately the idea of the Agency was never taken forward.

Copyright © 2022 West Cumbria & North Lakes friends of the earth / No2NuclearPower.org.uk. · Site development by Lynx Graphic Design.