Quick thread about why we @NEF
joined 80 other orgs urging gov to reconsider plans for UK's first new deep coal mine in 30 years. Key point is West Cumbria DOES need jobs and there is no alternative vision for good, green work for locals to get behind https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-55942800

The implications for climate commitments (8.4m extra tonnes of CO2 per year) are well covered elsewhere. But it's easy to see why the promise of 500 local jobs appeals to locals in an area where well-paid, secure work is badly-needed.

500 jobs is significant, but dwarfed by the thousands of jobs that will be lost at the area's biggest employer, Sellafield, as it limits its activities to nuclear decommissioning. Plus, as @MikeBernersLee estimates, less than 3% of the mine's profits will go on wages.

West Cumbria (and the rest of the country!) badly need a local industrial strategy for good, green jobs through a just transition. Regions with a proud industrial history cannot be left behind as we decarbonise our economy.

Evidence shows that places like Copeland could benefit from an actual green industrial revolution (as opposed to Boris's 10 vague points) - @IPPRNorth estimate 46k jobs in the North could be created in power sector.

Hundreds of thousands more could be made in retrofitting buildings, expansion of public transport & cycle infrastructure, nature restoration and inherently low-carbon & socially valuable work like healthcare, care & education.

But that won't happen without coherent national policy & investment that supports local industrial strategies with serious resources. Workers & communities must be central to this process, having a say in decisions that affect them and their children.

As one local worker told me, "500 Jobs for 30 years or 1000s of clean and low carbon well paid jobs for much longer. It is a no brainer." Those good green jobs are waiting in the wings, but gov (local & national) needs to build trust among local communities for them to believe it