‘As the Coal Age Ends’: UK Announces Ban on New Mines

In a landmark decision, the United Kingdom’s energy secretary Ed Miliband has announced the banning of new coal mines in Britain, as part of the country’s drive to reach net zero.

The UK government has committed to introducing legislation to restrict the licensing of future coal mines by amending 1994’s Coal Industry Act, a press release from the UK Government said.

“Coal mining powered this country for over 140 years and we owe a huge debt to workers who kept the lights on for homes and businesses across the country. Now the UK is in prime position to lead the way in phasing out coal power around the world, which remains the single largest contributor to global emissions,” said Energy Minister Michael Shanks in the press release. “By consigning coal power to the past, we can pave the way for a clean, secure energy system that will protect billpayers and create a new generation of skilled workers.”

At its peak, coal-fired power generation supported more than one million jobs in the UK, reported The Telegraph.

Coal is the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions from energy worldwide. The phasing out of the dirty fuel is an important part of limiting global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, reducing dangerous air pollution and tackling the climate crisis.

Earlier this year, Britain closed its last coal-fired power plant in Ratcliffe on Soar after 50 years, becoming the first major economy in the world to stop using coal energy.

“As the coal age ends, the clean energy age is ramping up, with the government committing to unprecedented investment in homegrown clean energy in the UK including carbon capture and hydrogen,” the press release said. “It comes after the independent National Energy System Operator (NESO) confirmed last week that achieving clean power by 2030 is achievable and can unlock cheaper, more secure electricity.”

The UK recently confirmed 21.7 billion pounds for the funding of carbon capture projects in Northeast and Northwest England, which are set to support as many as 50,000 jobs. More than 2.3 billion pounds will go toward the first set of contracts to produce electric hydrogen.

This week at the COP29 United Nations Climate Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the UK’s Clean Industry Bonus will offer offshore wind developers 27 million pounds per gigawatt if they invest in the country’s coastal areas, oil and gas communities and industrial heartlands.

“It follows confirmation that 120,000 former mineworkers will receive a 32% boost to their pensions, as £1.5 billion of money that was kept from their pensions is handed over to their schemes, ensuring those who powered the country for decades finally get the just rewards from their labour,” the press release said.