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The UK this week approved a coal mine project, the first of its kind in 30 years. An announcement that angered environmentalists and scientists.
« It is better to produce coal in the country than to import it “. This is how the British government justifies the validation of this project. Indeed, the energy crisis caused by the war waged in Ukraine by Russia has caused the price of coal to soar. The mine in question will produce metallurgical coal which will only be used for the production of steel. About 20% of this coal will be consumed by British steelworks, the rest will be exported to Europe, whose steel industry still depends very largely on this ore.
The underground mine is located in the county of Cumbria, in the northwest of England. It is aiming for a production capacity of approximately 2.7 million tonnes per year with the key to 500 jobs within five years.
A project that goes against the current of European ecological policy
Environmentalists and scientists in the UK are against this project. They believe that it goes against the United Kingdom’s climate commitments, namely to reduce its CO2 emissions by 78% by 2035 compared to their 1990 level. towards green hydrogen to produce steel.
The United Kingdom is having a hard time getting rid of its coal, this fuel having marked the history of the country. It was one of the most important industrial activities at the beginning of the last century. The sector employed up to 1,200,000 people.
Britain’s last underground mine closed in 2015 due to lack of competitiveness, marking the end of an era. The thermal coal produced was more expensive than the imported one. But the war in Ukraine has reshuffled the cards.
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