Cumbria coalmine would hit global decarbonisation efforts, inquiry hears

UK would be seen as worst hypocrite imaginable' if plans for deep mine are approved, say environmentalists

Approving a new deep coalmine in Cumbria would stifle international efforts to decarbonise industry and could produce a chain-reaction effect boosting prospective overseas mining projects, the public inquiry into the UK scheme has heard.

Boris Johnson's aspirations to cast his government as an international climate leader at the upcoming Cop26 summit would be fatally undermined, the inquiry's closing session also heard, if the mine were given the green light by the Planning Inspectorate.