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Canada will not approve any new thermal coal mining projects or expand existing mines

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Issues about environmental harm

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OTTAWA — Canada won’t approve new thermal coal mining initiatives or plans to broaden present mines due to the potential for environmental harm, Atmosphere Minister Jonathan Wilkinson mentioned on Friday.

“The federal government considers that these initiatives are more likely to trigger unacceptable environmental results inside federal jurisdiction and will not be aligned with Canada’s home and worldwide local weather change commitments,” he mentioned.

In an announcement, Wilkinson mentioned thermal coal – primarily used for producing electrical energy – was the one largest contributor to local weather change.

Canada produced 57 million tonnes of coal in 2019, simply 1 per cent of the general world complete. Canadian output in 2019 comprised 47 per cent thermal coal and 53 per cent metallurgical coal, which is used for metal manufacturing, in keeping with official knowledge.

“The continued mining and use of thermal coal for power manufacturing on the planet runs counter to what’s wanted to successfully fight local weather change,” Wilkinson mentioned. In 2018, Ottawa launched rules to phase-out standard coal-fired electrical energy throughout Canada by 2030.

The brand new coverage would apply to privately-held agency Coalspur’s plans to broaden an present thermal coal mine within the western province of Alberta, he mentioned.

© Thomson Reuters 2021

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