A new coal mine for the UK

Business Daily

BBC

News, Business

4.4 • 796 Ratings

🗓️ 15 May 2023

⏱️ 19 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

A new coal mine in the north west of England could bring much-needed jobs and investment to the area. However there are concerns from environmentalists about the impact on the climate.

The mine, in the Whitehaven area of Cumbria, is the first deep mine approved by the UK government for 30 years, and will provide fuel for steel-making.

Rowan Bridge travels to Whitehaven, the town next to the site of the mine, to hear the arguments for and against.

Presenter and producer: Rowan Bridge

(Image: The former Woodhouse Colliery site where West Cumbria Mining have been granted government approval to extract coal in Whitehaven. Credit: Getty Images)

Transcript

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0:00.0	An original audio drama series from the BBC World Service,
0:05.0	Fukushima tells the story of the 2011 disaster
0:08.5	at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
0:12.6	We lose the Daiichi plant.
0:14.5	Then we lose Japan as we know it.
0:17.1	Listen to the series now by searching for Fukushima,
0:20.1	wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
0:26.6	Hello, I'm Rowan Bridge and welcome to Business Daily from the BBC.
0:31.2	Today we're looking at the UK's coal mining industry after the first new deep coal mine for 30 years was approved.
0:38.7	The plant which will be in the north of England will provide fuel for steelmaking. Supporters say it will create much
0:43.7	needed investment in a deprived area. It's going to bring jobs, it's going to bring good wages,
0:48.8	it's going to bring wealth and prosperity, it's going to bring spending power, and that's what
0:53.6	businesses need to have in the town
0:55.4	or to see available in the town before they'll invest here. But those against the mine argue it's
0:59.9	undermines the UK's climate change targets. Mine should be confined to history, really. Obviously,
1:06.4	coal is one of the biggest sources of carbon dioxide. We've pledged to reduce our carbon emissions,
1:13.3	and this makes no sense to be putting more coal onto the market,
1:18.2	even if it's the steelmaking.
1:20.0	Today, we travel to the proposed site of the mine
1:22.6	and speak to the people who will be impacted by the decision to once again mine for coal.
1:27.6	That's Business Daily from the BBC World Service.
1:33.8	Last glance out at dawning light.
	...

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