Charity welcomes Supreme Court Ruling which could impact plans to build Cumbria coal mine

The mine, based in West Cumbria, would produce coking coal for the steel industry. Credit: ITV Border.

Campaign group Friends of the Earth described a ruling by the Supreme Court as a watershed moment in the fight to stop new fossil fuel projects.

Extinction Rebellion says this landmark decision has raised "major barriers to all new fossil fuel projects across the UK", including the proposed new coal mine in Whitehaven.

Judges ruled that a council should have considered the climate effects of burning fossil fuels, not just extracting them.

South Lakes Action on Climate Change said: "We congratulate the Weald Action Group on their perseverance in opposing this new oil well for so many years and welcome the ruling of the Supreme Court.

"Given the recent uptick in global temperatures and extreme weather events around the world, a just transition to a safe, clean and sustainable future is more urgent than ever.

'The International Energy Agency has recently re-iterated that existing oil fields, gas wells and coal mines are "more than enough" if the world is serious about its climate goals."

West Cumbria Mining states “the mine seeks to be net zero in its operations”, which it will achieve by minimising emissions from production of the coal and by purchasing carbon offsets.

A High Court hearing which will consider legal challenges from South Lakes Action on Climate Change and Friends of the Earth is listed for next month.

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