Opposition to Cumbrian coal mine is unrealistic - Yorkshire Post Letters

Mike Baldwin's views (The Yorkshire Post, December 13) on the reopening of the Cumbrian coal mine are unrealistic in these days of acute and chronic energy crises, shared with the rest of the Western world.

Likewise, "going Green" for energy is largely avoidable, and can be without tears. Expecting the rest of the world to respond to Britain's example is overoptimistic, like yearning for the days of the Empire.

The energy emergency is much more demanding and threatening than even the rather bogus "climate emergency", which lacks convincing supporting evidence.

UK Governments are to blame, having neglected for years to maintain our national power power supply reserves. They have ignored that vital need.

Now, like the rest of the Western nations who accept the UN's Green decarbonising advice, of dubious benefit, we are in an acute jam which directly threatens domestic and industrial imperatives.

We cannot afford to depend on fuel for power from other nations, however friendly, because energy shortfalls are affecting them no less than us.

Nor are wind-dependent renewable sources to be trusted. Their intermittency means they can help us only minimally. A mere 3-4 per cent of the world's energy needs come from renewables, often down to less than 1-3 per cent of the total demand.

It is unsafe, therefore, to fail fully to utilise our indispensable national fossil fuel assets.

We are wonderfully adequately endowed with fuels, for centuries if need be.

Since most of the rest of the world has no scruples about using fossil fuels, we could not help to save the planet by restricting their availability and uses.

The alleged climate change-based necessity to curb CO2 output is now being very seriously questioned. Reducing CO2 release is likely to be the wrong means in attempts to stabilise the climate.

The main coal mining problems lie first in miners' Health and Safety although modern mining methods will minimise risks.

Secondly, although mining creates new jobs, many will have to be for foreign, experienced workers.

So, despite the climate alarmists' anger and perceived fears, revived coal mining is a "needs-must" opportunity for us and our nation.