Local weather change: Six questions in regards to the Cumbria coal controversy

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Local weather change: Six questions in regards to the Cumbria coal controversy

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By Roger Harrabin
BBC setting analyst

Artist's impression

picture copyrightWest Cumbria Mining Firm

picture captionThe mine would extract coking coal from beneath the Irish Sea for use in metal manufacturing

Strain is rising on the prime minister to ban a brand new coal mine in Cumbria.

The county council accepted the colliery, and the federal government determined not the problem the choice.

However inexperienced teams have written to Boris Johnson saying the mine undercuts his promise to steer the world away from coal.

A spokesperson for islands in danger from local weather change urges the PM to match his phrases with deeds.

Why is the mine controversial?

A agency utilized for planning permission to dig for coking coal in Cumbria, and councillors accepted the bid. They stated the scheme didn’t contravene planning guidelines and would assist diversify jobs.

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However coal is seen because the dirtiest of the fossil fuels driving up world temperatures. The British authorities heads a UN local weather summit in November and has launched the ‘Powering Previous Coal’ alliance of countries to relinquish coal.

Fiji is an alliance member – and its UN ambassador Satyendra Prasad advised me opening a brand new mine sends the mistaken sign.

“Funding in renewables rather than coal is the morally appropriate alternative. Within the world local weather wrestle, phrases are extraordinarily vital. Deeds matter much more,” he stated.

Titus Gwemende from Oxfam in Southern Africa, stated: “The UK continues to dig extra coal whereas the least contributors (to local weather change) in Africa face stress to cease. This double commonplace dangers undermining local weather talks – and I hope the UK will change course.”

So why did not the federal government block the mine?

This was a thorny determination. Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick may have over-ridden the council, however amid the turmoil of the January Covid lockdown, he put out a discover saying he wouldn’t block permission as a result of it was a “native” subject. Environmentalists have been livid, defining local weather change as the last word world downside.

picture copyrightReuters
picture captionRobert Jenrick selected to not overrule the native council

The federal government later advised me there have been no grounds to dam the applying beneath planning regulation. A spokesperson stated leaving the choice to the council aligned with the Tory precept of getting selections taken on the lowest doable tier of presidency.

Was the federal government beneath stress to approve the mine from its personal MPs?

Sure. The mine lies within the Copeland constituency in a cluster of so-called Crimson Wall seats gained by the Conservatives from Labour. Cumbria has low unemployment (2.8% from July 2019-June 2020 in contrast with 3.4% in Copeland and three.8% nationally), however the MPs argued that well-paid guide jobs should not be turned away.

The native Copeland MP Trudy Harrison is the prime minister’s bag-carrier Parliamentary aide – and it is exhausting to conceive that she didn’t drop a phrase in his ear, though she would not discuss to me about that.

Are the native MPs prioritising jobs over local weather change?

They insist they are not. The important thing to the talk, they are saying, is that the mine will produce coking coal, which is required for metal. The federal government is phasing out thermal coal for energy stations by 2025 however has not introduced any plans to section out coking coal.

The advisory Local weather Change Committee says the UK should cease burning coking coal by 2035 in an effort to hit local weather targets. I perceive the committee fears if the mine goes forward its homeowners and employees will foyer irresistibly to maintain it operating after that date.

However the MPs worry that expertise to create virgin metal utilizing non-coal strategies akin to hydrogen will not be prepared by 2035. Mark Jenkinson, Tory MP for close by Workington, advised me: “It is higher for the setting to dig coking coal from Workington than from Wyoming, as a result of it saves on emissions from transport. We will not let different nations decide up the tab for emissions on our behalf.”

What do environmentalists say?

Environmentalists have lengthy referred to as for a moratorium on new fossil fuels, as a result of already way more has been found than the world can burn with out inflicting harmful local weather change.

When John Sauven, from Greenpeace, heard that approving the mine was thought of a ‘native’ determination he stated: “Let’s hope China would not take the identical view – or the world can be toast”.

He is written to Boris Johnson saying: “As host of the most important world local weather talks because the signing of the Paris Settlement, it’s mystifying {that a} new coal mine has been accepted.

“It will make it a lot tougher to fulfil the ambitions of the alliance to section out coal. We name on you to reverse the choice”.

Labour’s Local weather Change lead Matthew Pennycook agreed. He stated: “This makes a mockery of the federal government’s declare to be a local weather chief, and will not present the long-term job safety Cumbrians deserve.

“Decarbonised metal is the long run and Ministers ought to be relentlessly centered on growing an lively industrial technique that may appeal to good, low-carbon jobs and funding to counties like Cumbria.”

The Lib Dems and Greens agree.

Did the stress from MPs affect the choice?

Political issues usually are not purported to affect the planning course of, and Mr Jenrick’s spokesperson stated he did not seek the advice of different ministers in an effort to keep away from breaching that rule.

No 10 tells me the PM was not concerned within the decision-making course of. The president of the upcoming local weather summit, Alok Sharma – who co-ordinates authorities local weather insurance policies – dodged a query from MPs whether or not he had been consulted.

However Enterprise and Local weather Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng later stated he mentioned the mine with colleagues.

The truth that the mine will produce coking coal was an element, he stated.

However he wryly admitted that permitting the mine would create a “slight battle” with local weather coverage. Mr Sharma agreed that the problem might be seen to be “embarrassing”.

Did anybody do mistaken?

Nobody is suggesting that any of the politicians misbehaved – however it’s clear that the problem is extraordinarily embarrassing.

The federal government may keep away from future ache on the problem by introducing a transparent coverage on coking coal.

One factor’s for certain – because the UN local weather summit looms nearer, the federal government’s ambitions throughout the board can be more and more scrutinised to see if it is strolling the local weather stroll.

Comply with Roger on Twitter @rharrabin

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