The Abuse of Coal

In mid-August Wales held its first Camp for Climate Action on the outskirts of Merthyr Tydfil, a community abused by coal.

The Ffos-y-Fran site is the biggest open cast coal mine in the UK and a colossal reminder of the governments failure to face up to climate change. Burning coal is the most climate-damaging activity we engage in and if we’re serious about safeguarding our future, we must leave it in the ground.

Instead, the government has granted Miller Argent (the company which runs the mine) a 17 year contract to remove the coal which lays only 36 metres from the nearest home, describing it as a ‘Land Reclamation Scheme’ because it was apparently too dangerous in its previous state… nothing to do with the 10.8 million tonnes of coal beneath the surface then.

Like all abusive partners, the issues here are complicated and the relationship between the communities in the valleys of South Wales and coal is understandably tense. Historically a large employer in Merthyr, coal is still remembered as such; but it also left towns in ruin and people jobless, not to mention the catastrophic consequences for the local environment and global climate. The two faces of coal: the employer and the destroyer. Not an easy mix, but yet coal is seeing resurgence. Just as the memory of the pit closures fade and the scree slopes and slag heaps grass over, the coal industry fuelled by government directives is rearing its ugly head once more. But this time, not without a fight.

The first Camp for Climate Action in Wales pitched its tents in-between the mine and the community in an act of solidarity with local residents who face noise, dust and visual pollution daily and continually have their voices suppressed by Miller Argent. Local democracy has failed the people of Merthyr where one petition received 10,000 signatures in opposition to the new mine. The camp formed a hub for learning about the issues and how to take action on them. We shared ideas and built support for the local campaign while evening discussions focused on drawing comparisons between communities fighting for social and environmental justice across the British Isles. Workshops ran throughout the camp on topics such as direct action, economics and sustainable development.

On the Saturday of the Camp we were taken on a ‘tour’ of the mine in a defiant stroll to get a good vantage over the deep hole and the town. It really is close, and very big. Diggers the size of houses are dwarfed and only visible because of their contrasting yellow, while the pit itself winds ever deeper into the earth with trucks snaking up the opposite hill-side brimming with coal.

There was a large police presence surrounding the mine for the duration of the camp, and although we didn’t collectively venture into the mine itself- it is an easy target. There has been direct action taken here in the past, occupations bringing operations to a standstill on two separate occasions, and no doubt there will be more until we see the end of the new coal age. However, this camp did not organise a mass action in advance. Instead, the focus was on movement building and equipping people with the skills and confidence to begin to make effective changes in society. 

A ‘green fayre’ in the centre of the town organised by the local campaign group ‘Residents Against Foss-y-Fran’ (RAFF) on Friday provided an opportunity for people to look at alternative employment which could exist in the absence of coal. The alternatives are real as well, the door just needs to be opened for employment – a ‘just transition’ with plentiful opportunities. Merthyr is perfectly sited for a very different kind of energy industry: Wind. In fact, a planning application for a small wind farm near to the open cast site was turned down by the local planning authority because of ‘visual impact’. You couldn’t make it up.

Taking a walk up to the mine with local people opened many eyes to the contrary behaviour of our society. We have to stop this mine- yes; but we have to reverse the mentality which goes with it – the unfettered actions of corporations which trample local people and places while driving irreversible climate change in the pursuit of profit. They are the tell tale signs of an ineffective system which regards destruction as progress. The camp challenged this perspective and gave hope to many who have been oppressed by mining operations in the Valleys for years.

Climate Camp Cymru will head to Cardiff on the 19^th of September for the next Wales-wide gathering to discuss the next steps. Meanwhile, there is a Wales day of action on the 24^th of October. Put it in your diaries and join the Wales Climate Action movement!