New coal mining licences will be banned: comment

"The UK has one of the strongest records on coal of any country, and today's announcement confirms that we are cutting out coal for good. We've proven that you can phase out coal from the power system without any interruption to supply, with our one remaining plant closing its doors for the last time in September.

"The courts have also ruled against opening a new mine repeatedly, in light of all the evidence of the fossil fuel's negative impacts. Instead of being stuck in the past, we've chosen to invest in kickstarting the industries of the future, like offshore wind, which is where economic growth lies. This is the example that the rest of the world can follow, showing that what the UK does matters internationally."