Hi John,

 

I was in touch last week because plans for the UK's first deep coal mine in 30 years have been given the go-ahead. We're in a climate emergency - which means one new polluting coal mine is a coal mine too many. Since then over 85,000 people have signed a petition calling on the government to block these plans.

 

Will you add your name and tell the government to end the era of coal?

After I sent last week's email I received some really good questions in response. Questions like: "Don't we need this coal - it's being used for steel production, not power generation, isn't that better than importing coal?"

 

I think it's important to address this concern here:

 

1. Whether it's steel manufacturers, energy producers, oil companies, transport networks or government policies - the fact is that to have any hope of avoiding the worst effects of the climate crisis we simply have to move away from fossil fuels.
2. Supporting the low-carbon production technologies that steel makers have developed is the best way to give the UK industry a viable future - much better than digging ourselves further into a high-carbon hole.
3. Early signs show that the coal from this mine won't even be usable by UK steel producers in substantial proportions. [1]

 

It's clear, letting plans for a new coal mine go ahead just doesn't make sense - it's time to end the era of coal once and for all.

 

Thanks for everything you do and I hope you're doing okay in these difficult times.

 

Ben,

 

P.S. I've popped the email I sent you last week below in case you need a bit more info.

 

[1] Letter from South Lakes Action on Climate Change - towards transition, SLACC - https://secure.greenpeace.org.uk/coalletter

 

 

Here's last week's email:

Hi John,

 

I can't believe I'm writing this. Over a decade ago I was one of six Greenpeace activists who climbed the smokestack at Kingsnorth power station to protest plans for a new coal plant there. [1]

 

Since then the UK has moved drastically away from reliance on a dirty source of energy that we just don't need. We've made commitments to massively cut emissions by 2030 and to reach net zero by 2050. [2]

 

So allowing the first deep coal mine in 30 years to go ahead is, simply put, wrong and goes against any efforts to tackle the climate crisis. [3]

 

Will you demand the government shows climate leadership by scrapping plans for this new coal mine and commits to finally ending the era of coal?

The government minister responsible, Robert Jenrick, refused to block the new coal mine because he said it was a "local issue". [4] That's simply not true - it's an issue for all of us, the planet and future generations.

 

In a year when the UK government will be hosting COP, inviting leaders from around the world to agree on how they plan to tackle the climate crisis - building a £165m coal mine just doesn't make sense. [5]

 

This government talks a good talk on climate leadership - it's time to get serious.

We have so much to do if we are to avoid the worst effects of the climate crisis. We shouldn't have to make the case against coal - this government must act now. Tell them.

 

Thanks for everything you do,

 

Ben

 

[1] Coal and climate change: what a difference a decade makes, Greenpeace UK -

secure.greenpeace.org.uk/gpcoal

 

[2] UK sets ambitious new climate target ahead of UN Summit, Gov UK -

secure.greenpeace.org.uk/coalgovuk

 

[3] Whitehaven coal mine: Government refuses to call in plans, BBC - secure.greenpeace.org.uk/bbcoal1

 

[4] Government defends Cumbria coal mine green light, BBC - secure.greenpeace.org.uk/bbcoal2

 

[5] Controversial Cumbria coal mine gets go ahead, Mining Global - secure.greenpeace.org.uk/minecoal

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