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Coal facts, figures, and information

The UK coal flow from origin to destination

These are the most recent official energy statistics for coal from the UK Government, for 2023 (compare to 2022 and 2021). In the past 10 years, UK coal production has fallen by 96%, down 22% from 2022. Net imports have also fallen 94% from the peak in 2013 (and a 54% reduction in 2023 compared to 2022). This is driven by declining demand for coal, which fell by a further 26% in 2023 compared to 2022 (demand fell 14% in 2022 compared to 2021). In 2022, imports accounted for 85% of UK's coal (63% in 2021). What alternatives exist to coal in the UK? See our illustrated solutions.

Coal mining

The Global Energy Monitor estimates 7.2 billion tonnes of coal are mined each year, from 3,670 recorded coal mines across 70 countries. Coal mining worldwide emits around 52 million tonnes of methane per year (equivalent to 4,320 million tonnes of CO2*), more than oil (39 million tonnes) or gas (45 million tonnes)....

Burning coal emits more CO2 than any other fuel source for the amount of energy it produces. Burning coal also pollutes our air with many other hazardous gasses, including nitrogen oxide, mercury, and sulphur dioxide – with global and local consequences for climate change...

COAL NEWS

Judicial Review filed against Ffos-y-fran illegal coal mine

With support from the Good Law Project, we have filed for a Judicial Review against both the Local Council and Welsh Government’s continuing failure to stop Ffos-y-fran, the UK’s biggest opencast coal mine, selling off over 1,000 tonnes of illegal coal each day right under their noses and to the harm of local residents…

Upcoming events against proposed Whitehaven coal mine

Regular events are planned for outside the proposed site at Whitehaven. Come and show your support for leaving the coal in the ground.

Ffos-y-fran mining company acting “unilaterally and unlawfully”

Respected senior Barrister, James Maurici KC, and Barrister Toby Fisher have today released a blistering open letter of legal advice that reveals for the first time that the company operating the UK’s largest opencast coal mine, Ffos-y-fran, in South Wales is doing so “unilaterally and unlawfully” without the approval of “any democratically elected bodies or persons”…

Ffos-y-fran: the UK’s huge illegal coal operation

Based on the most recently available official statistics from The Coal Authority, since planning permission ended, by the end of May 2023, nearly 300,000 tonnes of coal would have been mined without any attempt to stop it, at the climate cost of almost a MILLION tonnes of CO2…

Whitehaven legal challenge update

A High Court judge has given the go ahead for 2 legal challenges over the government’s decision to grant planning permission for a controversial new underground coking coal mine in West Cumbria to proceed to a 3 day hearing in October 2023. 

Actions against proposed Whitehaven coal mine since Govt approval

Groups have taken action since the government approved a new coal mine proposed for Whitehaven, Cumbria—including: Chris Packham joined Friends of the Earth, Extinction Rebellion and others…

Aberpergwm Judicial Review decision

it was announced the Judicial Review decision has upheld the mine continuing to operate until 2039 to the tune of over 100 million tonnes of CO2. This judgement comes fewer than two months after the IPCC released a report sounding the ‘final warning’ of irreversible and catastrophic climate change…

Victory! We stopped Ffos-y-fran opencast from extending coal operations!

After two decades of campaigning, last night (26/04/23) Merthyr Tydfil residents, Coal Action Network, and other environmental campaigners finally stopped Ffos-y-fran opencast coal with the Council’s refusal of permission to extend!

Stop coal’s climate toll

Today (25th April) people dressed as Rebecca Rioters protested against the Welsh Government’s failure to deliver a complete ban on coal mining on the steps of the Senedd (Welsh Parliament). The Rebecca Riots took place between 1839 and 1842 with the destruction of the toll gates which taxed rural people’s produce.

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