Coal mine project tests UK commitment to climate versus jobs
ABC News
A proposal to dig a new coal mine in northern England is presenting a dilemma for the British government just as it prepares to host an annual United Nations climate conference
WHITEHAVEN, England -- In the patchwork of hills, lakes and sea that make up England’s northwest corner, most people see beauty. Dave Cradduck sees broken dreams.
The coal mine where the 74-year-old once worked has long closed. The chemical factory that employed thousands is gone. The nuclear power plant is being decommissioned.
To Cradduck, a plan for a new coal mine that could bring hundreds of jobs is a sign that “at least someone’s interested in the area” and an opportunity "for people who have got mining in their blood.”
But environmentalists view the proposed mine with horror. They say it sends a disastrous message as the United Kingdom welcomes world leaders, advocates, diplomats and scientists to Glasgow, Scotland, for a United Nations Climate Change Conference that starts Oct. 31.
