The Government’s go-ahead for a new coal mine in Cumbria is a disgusting decision and rubbishes the UK’s reputation on climate change.
Only last year the UK hosted COP 26 heralding its green credentials and seeking to push the rest of the world to do more, go further, be bolder, imagine the unthinkable in the global fight towards net-zero.
Today this country’s green credibility lies in tatters at the Tory government repugnant decision to allow a new coal mine to be opened near Whitehaven in Cumbria.
The decision tells you everything you want to know about this Government – short term, dominated by right-wing ultras who are all climate change deniers, at the mercy of lobbyists and, most tellingly of all, without a shred of commitment to a green agenda.
No wonder Rishi Sunak didn’t want to even go to Cop 27 in Egypt. No wonder the decision has come as the pro-fracking ultras have, post Brexit, turned their warped guns on climate change. No wonder any green initiative will be now be burned at the excuse of the ‘economic crisis’.
Whatever short-term, local economic ‘benefits’ the new mine might have – some say up to 500 jobs across Cumbria – the go-ahead is utterly perverse in light of the climate crisis the world faces and completely sends the wrong message on net-zero at home and internationally.
Opening such a mine is just plain wrong. But doing the wrong thing is what this government does.