Climate crisis: County Durham’s last coal mine closes, following successful campaign by locals and environmental activists

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “Coal is our heritage, not our future,” the group said at the time, and told planning minister Robert Jenrick,“if you’re in a hole, stop digging!” But Banks Group managing director Gavin Styles said: “I am hugely frustrated, angry and sad to have to tell my skilled, hard-working and loyal team at Bradley that we will no longer be able to employ all of them, even though there is still significant demand from British industry for the coal and fireclay that they produce. “We have been continuing, without any support from the public purse, to invest in training resources which ensure our colleagues’ certifications remain fully up-to-date and transferable and will continue to do everything we possibly can to provide maximum support to all those affected by this demoralising situation.” The closure of the mine leaves just one other surface mine operational in England — Hartington mine in Derbyshire — which is also scheduled for closure. Mr Styles said: “While British industry still needs coal, it is patently obvious that it is better for our climate and for our jobs to mine it here in the UK, rather than exporting our jobs and increasing global greenhouse gas emissions by relying even more on importing coal over thousands of miles from Russia, the USA and Colombia. “By not making a decision on Highthorn, they are letting hundreds of people in the North East and their families down at the most difficult time imaginable — and with almost four million people already expected to be unemployed across the UK, this inaction represents a scandalous dereliction of duty.” However, the government’s Committee on Climate Change has told Boris Johnson’s administration a “green recovery” is the only option to ensure a resilient economy can emerge from the coronavirus crisis, and along with the CBI has called for the creation of new jobs which will help the UK reach its emissions reduction goals, and “avoid supporting old technologies”.