Open cast is trashing the south Wales landscape

A momentum is building. Last year Climate Camp Cymru camped next to Ffos y Fran – one of the largest opencast mines in Europe – for a week of workshops and sustainable living. This summer we’re going back to basics with a light action-based camp, targeting coal somewhere in south Wales.

Burning coal is destroying the climate. The coal mined in South Wales’ open cast pits is the most carbon-intensive of all fossil fuels. Being nearly pure carbon, it releases nearly pure carbon dioxide when burned. How we produce power for electricity has the biggest impact on the climate of any sector, and of the fuels used in power stations burning coal emits the most carbon.

The mine at Ffos-y-Fran and mines such as Celtic Energy’s Selar and East Pit carry out mining, cleaning and washing operations to supply Aberthaw Power Station with approximately 500,000 tonnes of coal per annum. The mined coals are delivered from the ‘production’ sites by road and rail for delivery to Aberthaw Power Station.