Join trade unionists and local activists in Whitehaven on Saturday 22nd July, at 12 noon, to oppose the West Cumbria Coal Mine.

We say: Not Coal, Not Dole! We want Climate Jobs and a Just Transition

In a time of accelerating climate breakdown, it is outrageous that the government has given permission for a new coal mine in Cumbria. The coal will be exported, not used for UK steel as claimed. It is also claimed that this is the only way that the local community can access jobs which are desperately needed after decades of neglect.

But thousands of jobs could be created in Cumbria in renewable energy, transport, housing retrofitting, and other sustainable activities. We cannot have our communities left behind but coal jobs are not the jobs for the future or the present. Local communities shouldn't be held to ransom by West Cumbria Mining Ltd which is 82% owned by a Capital Investment company registered in Singapore.

What you can do

- Share information about the event in your networks (Facebook event here)

- If you can come to Whitehaven on 22 July, sign up to attend to get updates on the event and help allow coordination of transport and accommodation.

- Bring the model motion below to your trade union branch.

Model Motion

This Branch/AGM/Trades Council/Conference is dismayed to learn that a new coal mine near Whitehaven, in West  Cumbria has been approved by the government’s Communities Secretary Michael Gove. The High Court has now given permission for two legal challenges to the Secretary of State’s decision to go forward to a three-day hearing October. The organisations bringing the challenge are South Lakes Action on Climate Change (SLACC) and Friends of the Earth (FoE).

Owned by West Cumbria Mining Ltd (in turn 82% owned by a Capital Investment company registered in Singapore), this would be the UK’s first new  deep coal mine for 30 years and produce millions of tonnes of coal at a time when scientists have just delivered the starkest warning yet about the climate crisis, and the International Energy Agency itself has said there must be no new fossil fuel exploration or extraction if we are to have a chance of controlling global heating.

West Cumbria Mining claim that the mine will be carbon-neutral but this ignores emissions from actually burning the coal it would produce, and also relies on “offsetting” of the mine’s operational emissions. However, offset certification provider Gold Standard has stated that it will not provide credits for coal mining. Annual emissions from the mine and the coal it produces would be equivalent to approximately 2% of  total UK annual greenhouse gas emissions. 

The company claims the mine will create 500 jobs, but this  relies on there being a medium- and long-term market for its coal. However this is unlikely as the  European steel industry is moving away from coal use to greener production methods. The UK’s only two steel manufacturers (Tata and British Steel) currently using methods dependent on carbon from coking coal) are pushing for government support to transition to greener methods, such as green hydrogen in place of coke and electric arc furnaces to produce new steel products from scrap. Both have confirmed that they are unlikely to use West Cumbrian coal anyway as it is high in sulphur and inferior to the coal they currently import.  West Cumbria Mining is engaging in greenwashing and is exploiting the local community’s understandable desire for  jobs. 

Trade unions are currently denouncing the Cost-of-Living crisis. Energy prices have seen one of the  biggest rises in the past few decades disproportionately impacting the poorest & most vulnerable communities. Rather than support more fossil fuel extraction for burning - whether for heating or fo industry - investments should be going to support jobs in renewable energy generation via a publicly owned system of production. A house-to-house insulation programme, replacement of heating systems and  electricity supplies by renewable energy should be carried out urgently, creating much-needed jobs and tackling the fuel poverty crisis. 

This Branch/AGM/Trades Council/Conference believes that: 

- The creation of the new West Cumbria coal mine must be opposed and welcome the campaign  by Friends of the Earth and others. 

- No new fossil fuel projects should take place in the UK and the energy sector should be brought back into public ownership to allow a Just Transition to renewable energy and sustainable  solutions.  

- This position does not undermine the historic support the Trade union movement gave to the  miners and their communities during the miners strike 35 years ago. 

- The government and local authorities should instead focus on creating Climate Jobs in  renewable energy, housing retrofitting and other vital sectors such as land work, recycling and green manufacture of supply chain materials and components needed for the transition.

- The Trade union movement must be wary of greenwashing and false solutions. Carbon Capture &  Storage as a mass technology for example is unlikely to be available in time to tackle the Climate  Emergency, and we must act now.  

This Branch/AGM/Trades Council/Conference therefore agrees to: 

- Disseminate information to members & affiliates about the campaign and aim to escalate this  motion via their unions structures

- Support a campaign for Climate Jobs in Cumbria and Lancashire that could lead to the creation  of thousands of new jobs in housing insulation and other activities that slash emissions and energy use.

- Send delegate(s) to events and workshops related to the campaign 

- Support the Just Transition & Climate Jobs Day of Action in Whitehaven on 22nd July 2023 (Information here - note registration in advance is essential to allow coordination of transport and accomodation)

More resources

Cumbria Green Jobs Summit – watch the video recording and check out presentations & break out discussions  here

Film miniseries on Friends of the Earth Cumbria Facebook page containing interviews with Cumbria’s  green jobs workers. 

South Lakes Action on Climate Change website 

'Dig coal to save the climate: the folly of Cumbria’s plans for a new coalmine' - Rebecca Willis, May 2021, Guardian 

Climate Jobs: Building a workforce for the Climate Emergency – Campaign Against Climate  Change Trade Union group 

'Steel boss dismisses claim that sector needs new Cumbrian coalmine', May 2022, Guardian