Licensing of new coal mining projects in the UK will be prohibited under new legislation that the government plans to pass "as soon as possible", the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said in an announcement today.
Britain last month closed its last coal-fired power station, ending a source of energy that had generated up to 40% of the UK’s electricity supply as recently as 2012.
There were eight active coal mining sites in the UK as of June this year, with overall coal production of 19,000 tonnes in the second quarter of the year, down 84% year on year after the last large surface mine, Ffos-Y-Fran, closing at the end of November 2023.
"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.
While saying a "huge debt" was owed to the coal mining industry that powered the country for over 140 years, he added: "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."
The government has set out commitments to ramp up investment in clean energy, including carbon capture and hydrogen.
Greenpeace UK’s policy director, Doug Parr, said: "The canary stopped singing a long time ago, as coal’s days have been numbered for some time.
"But bringing a definitive end to new mining in the UK is a momentous move from the government and should be celebrated."
Given the escalating floods, hurricanes and heatwaves across the world, he called on the government to also bring in a ban on new oil and gas development.