The UK government is moving to remove a ban on the opening and licensing of new coal mines from one of its major net zero laws.
On Tuesday, the government said that a complete ban on new coal mines “isn’t appropriate” and will oppose an amendment that was added to the Energy Security Bill, now known as the Energy Bill, by peers in the House of Lords in April.
The bill contains wide-ranging reform and regulation of the UK’s energy supply to support its legal obligation to hit net zero by 2050.
Prohibiting
The original amendment said that the prohibition of new coal mines must take place within six months of the day on which the bill is passed, with the Secretary of State prohibiting the opening and licensing of new coal mines….