‘Scrap West Cumbria coal mine plans and invest in green jobs’, MP tells COP President

Aerial CGI of Woodhouse Colliery mine site

A Cumbrian MP has called for the COP President to scrap controversial plans for a new coal mine in West Cumbria and instead invest in green jobs.

On the floor of the House of Commons this week, Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron urged the President of COP26 Alok Sharma to axe plans for a new coal mine on the Woodhouse Colliery mine site near Whitehaven.

A report released by the think tank Green Alliance estimated that the mine would produce 8.4 million tonnes of CO2 per year – the equivalent of the emissions of more than one million homes.

Supporters of the mine say the project will create hundreds of jobs for local people and will mean the UK will import less coal from overseas to support the steel industry.

Critics say a new coal mine in the UK would drive down prices of coal, reducing the incentives of looking elsewhere for steel production.

A Public Inquiry into the proposed coal mine closed in October with the Government expected to make a final decision soon.

Speaking during COP26 questions in Parliament on Wednesday, Mr Farron said: “It would be entirely appropriate for the COP President to comment and intervene on this – it is a political decision whether to go ahead with a new coal mine in Cumbria.

“Should he not cancel it now and instead invest in wind, hydro, marine and tidal energy that can be championed by Cumbrian businesses such as Gilkes, investing in green jobs rather than dirty, old-fashioned ones?”

Responding, Alok Sharma MP said: “I thought that the honourable gentleman liked independent processes and that is what is running now.”

Speaking afterwards, Tim said: “Alok Sharm is right, I do like independent processes – but I like clean energy even more.

“If we’re serious about reaching net-zero and providing secure jobs for the future, then we need to stop digging coal and start seriously investing in renewable energy.”