UK Gov't Approves Construction of New Coal Mine Despite COP26 Pledges, Reports Say
The United Kingdom's government has approved the construction of a new coal mine in the northwestern county of Cumbria, despite the promise to relinquish coal at the COP26 climate conference which it hosted last year, UK media reported. | The idea of opening the Whitehaven coal mine to extract coking coal, which is used in steel production, was first discussed on April 24. Michael Gove, UK Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, supported the plan to open the first coal mine in the country in decades to reduce dependence on energy imports from Russia. Before the crisis in Ukraine, London imported 40% of its coking coal from Russia. ● British media cited West Cumbria Mining, the mine's developer, as saying that it would be the world's first zero-emissions coal mine. The press reported that the mine would not produce coal for power, adding that at least 80% of output would be exported.