Whitehaven coal mine: Charities urge Michael Gove to reject plan

Climate protesters gathered outside the site of the planned mine during the public inquiry, held last year

Environmental charities are calling for a minister to reject plans for the UK's first new coal mine in 30 years.

Communities and Local Government Secretary Michael Gove is considering West Cumbria Mining's application for the colliery near Whitehaven.

Fourteen green charities, including Greenpeace, have written to him urging him to reject the "immoral" plan.

They claim speculation the mine will plug the gap left by banning Russian coal imports was false.

The proposed mine would remove coking coal from beneath the Irish Sea for the production of steel in the UK and export to Europe.

However, critics believe the scheme would damage the UK's commitment to cut carbon emissions.

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Mr Gove is currently considering a planning inspector's report and recommendation on the mine after a public inquiry was held last year.

He is due to reveal his decision on 7 July but, according to The Telegraph, the decision could be made as early as mid-May.

The charities said instead of the mine, hundreds of jobs could be created in solar power, offshore wind and low carbon heating.

The government has decided to hold a public inquiry into plans for a coal mine in Whitehaven

Friends of the Earth energy campaigner, Tony Bosworth, said: "Only a few weeks ago the UN Secretary General said that investing in new fossil fuel sources was moral and economic madness.

"Michael Gove must heed these words and reject the Cumbria coal mine as it will add to the climate crisis and the market for its product is fast disappearing as the steel industry moves to greener production.

"Mr Gove must also ignore the misguided claims that coal from the Cumbria mine will replace Russian imports - even the mine's developers don't think that."

The letter, from the chief executives of the charities, including Client Earth, Community Energy England, Friends of the Earth and Green Alliance, added that the UK's energy policy should focus on "homegrown" renewables.

Opponents of the mine believe it will encourage the steelmaking industry to keep using coal rather than encourage it to utilise newer technologies, like hydrogen.

West Cumbria Mining said its mine would create 530 permanent jobs and 80% of them would go to local people.

Many in favour of the mine believe the coking coal produced at Whitehaven would displace fuel being transported from across the world and would reduce emissions overall.