PROTESTERS from Extinction Rebellion Cumbria took to the water on Saturday at Waterhead, near Ambleside, to share their message against proposals for a new coal mine.

Cumbria County Council had previously given planning approval for a new coal mine in Whitehaven, but the developers, West Cumbria Mining (WCM), were forced to amend their application after a legal challenge by Leigh Day Solicitors on behalf of ‘Keep Cumbrian Coal in the Hole’.

Officers have now recommended again that the development be approved, albeit for a reduced lifespan of 30 years, as opposed to the 50 that WCM had first hoped, and only if the quality of the coal can be consistently higher than current plans.

Councillors are due to make a final decision on Friday.

One of the protesters, Gwen Harrison, said: “The idea of developing a new coal mine in 2020, as climate scientists warn we must keep almost all the world's fossil fuels in the ground to avert climate catastrophe, is utter madness. The development of this coal mine is incompatible with the UK’s legally binding obligations under the Paris Agreement, and with our survival as a species.”

Experts estimate that the proposed coal mine will emit 8.4 million tonnes of CO2 each year, equivalent to the emissions of more than 1 million households. Extraction was projected to continue for 50 years – 20 years beyond the date by which the government has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions in 2050.

Maggie Mason, another protester, said: “The government has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 but it needs to step down very quickly by 2030, not go full tilt to some kind of “cliff edge”. Allowing extraction of 2.74 million tonnes a year of coking coal to 2049 will slow the essential process of reducing coal-use for making steel, and add to global Greenhouse gas emissions. This application needs to be refused, not tinkered with.”