The Labour government’s housing, communities, and local government secretary, Angela Rayner, will probably have to reevaluate the Whitehaven coal mine’s planning application in light of today’s decision, this time considering the full extent of the potential harm to the climate.
“The assumption that the proposed mine would not produce a net increase in greenhouse gas emissions, or would be a net zero mine, is legally flawed,” Mr. Justice Holgate stated in his ruling.
Following fresh legal developments, the recently elected government had already decided not to defend the previous Conservative administration’s decision to approve the project at a hearing in July.
At this point, the planned mine’s future is unknown.
West Cumbria Mining, the project developer, has stated that it will “consider the implications” of the High Court’s decision, although it has not yet stated what will happen next.
It may decide to file an appeal of the High Court’s ruling, or it may decide to withdraw its application.
The ruling suggests that a landmark June case has enabled successful legal challenges against proposed fossil fuel extraction projects in the United Kingdom.
