Environmental groups on Wednesday welcomed a decision by Britain’s Conservative government to lift its opposition to onshore wind farms. But they warned that any benefit would be erased if the government backs plans to open the U.K.’s first new coal mine in three decades.
Thursday is the deadline for a decision on the proposed mine in the Cumbria area of northwest England. Opponents say approving it will obliterate the U.K.’s image as a world leader in replacing polluting fossil fuels with clean renewable energy.
