Creative opposition to proposed Cumbrian coking coal mine on first day of public inquiry

From West Cumbria to London, opposition to the controversial proposal for an underground coking coal mine, sited near Whitehaven, is widespread and growing. On 7th September, the day the public inquiry investigating the proposal by West Cumbria Mining Ltd started, members of the public gather in two locations to demand a greener future, in which a new coal mine has no place.

West Cumbria Mining Ltd want to extract 2.78 million tonnes of coking coal annually that would emit around 8.4 million tonnes of CO2 each year until 2049. Cumbria County Council approved the application, but in March 2021, the government decided it will be the final arbitrator. This was the result of requests from many quarters, including over 113,999 people supporting Coal Action Network's demand the government call in the decision.

A flock of canaries descended on the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government in central London, with messages to the Robert Jenrick from members of the public. Around 70 members of the public gathered in total split between with the canaries at the Ministry and those at the proposed mine site near Whitehaven, Cumbria.

Underground coal miners used to take canaries in cages into the mines. The birds would weaken and die when exposed to lethal gasses released by mining, acting as an early detection to protect the miners working deep underground.

Jill Perry from West Cumbria, who attended the Cumbrian rally spoke via phone and megaphone to the concerned people gathered in London. She said, “The steel industry is very carbon-intensive but is making fast strides in weaning itself off coking coal and onto green hydrogen so we don't need this new coal mine, we need to encourage the British steel industry to solidify its future by going green, and Whitehaven to provide a more certain future for its residents by going for green jobs.”

The whole flock outside the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government to sounded the alarm about the damage approving this new coal mine proposal would do to limiting climate change. Many people are concerned what a new coal mine would do to the UK’s reputation in climate leadership, the government’s net-zero commitment, investment in jobs of limited future prospects, and to steel decarbonisation momentum.

Read the excellent write up of the London rally on Desmog.

FINITE: the Climate of change – watch from home

December 7th 2023

We’re excited to let you know that you can finally watch FINITE online now on Vimeo On Demand, by renting or buying the film.

FINITE: The Climate of Change is an inspiring insider’s view of communities in the UK and Germany putting their bodies on the line to fight back against coal mining. Featuring Coal Action Network alongside local people in the Pont Valley, Durham…

Ffos-y-fran, the UK’s last opencast coal mine finally shut – we’re not celebrating

November 30th 2023

We are an environmental organisation dedicated to ending coal mining and use in the UK for the sake of our collective climate and ecosystems. So you’d think we’d celebrate the claim by Merthyr (South Wales) Ltd that it will finally stop mining coal today at Ffos-y-fran in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales. But we’re not. Because the abject failure of Merthyr County Borough Council to stop…

Ditch the dirty dollars – invest in our future!

November 29th 2023

People hailing from Cumbria to London, and everywhere in between, descended on the Mines and Money Conference in London across two days (28th-29th Nov 2023). We demanded that investors stop pouring cash into the mining sector, and instead invest in our collective future. Together with Fossil Free London and other groups, we greeted investors with…

5 Insurers Rule Out The West Cumbria Mine

November 22nd 2023

The insurers that have ruled out underwriting the mine are AEGIS Managing Agency, Argenta Syndicate Management, Hannover Re and Talanx. These are the first financial institutions to rule out any involvement with the project, and the win represents a new phase in the campaign to stop the project from going ahead.

EACOP: Global Day of Action against Chinese involvement in the pipeline

November 21st 2023

Today’s global actions focused specifically on the state-owned China Export & Credit Insurance Corporation (Sinosure), the Export-Import Bank of China (China Exim), and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC). Sinosure is said to be in advanced talks with the Ugandan government about providing credit for the project.

Protesters occupy the offices of City Of London insurers demanding they rule out backing for climate-wrecking projects

November 21st 2023

On 18th October dozens of protesters staged a sit-in occupation of the plush City of London offices of ten Lloyd’s of London insurers demanding they rule out insuring the proposed West Cumbria coal mine and East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP).

Protest the Mines & Money conference

November 17th 2023

Global mining companies are coming to London soon attempting to find investors in their ruinous projects at the Mines and Money Conference (28th to 30th November). Join our protests against it!

Ffos-y-fran: timeline of illegal coal mining

October 30th 2023

01 September 2022: Merthyr (South Wales) Ltd applies for a S.73 time extension to mine coal from Ffos-y-fran, and to accordingly delay and vary restoration works.
06 September 2022: Planning permission ends for coal mining at the Ffos-y-fran site, after 15 years and 3 months of operations.
12 September 2022: first reports to MTCBC have been made by local residents of coaling beyond the end of planning permission.

Coalition backing a coal mining ban in Wales

October 10th 2023

Over 30 Welsh NGOs and businesses have signed a letter to Welsh Minister Julie James and Deputy Minister Lee Waters, demanding they draw a line in the sand and announce ban on any further coal mines on Welsh soil. The letter was delivered on 11th October 2023.

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