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The UK Coal Forum

"The Government will convene a coal forum to bring together coal-fired generators, coal producers and suppliers, power plant suppliers, trade unions, small businesses and other parties in order to help them to find solutions to secure the long-term future of coal-fired power generation and UK coal production. The forum will facilitate dialogue within the industry and work to ensure that we have the right framework, consistent with our energy policy goals, to secure the long-term contribution of coal-fired power generation and optimise the use of economical coal reserves in the UK."
DTI Energy Review 2006

The Coal Forum is a non-advisory body set up as an arena where important issues facing the industry can be discussed, with Government participation, in an open manner.

The Forum consists of an independent chairman and senior representatives from the coal mining industry, electricity generators, unions, equipment suppliers, others involved in the industry, and Government, including the Devolved Administrations. Membership is by invitation only and is on a personal basis.

Aims of the Coal Forum

• To bring together coal-fired generators, coal producers and suppliers, power plant suppliers, trade unions, small businesses and other parties; facilitating dialogue and engagement within the industry
• To work to ensure that the UK has the right framework, consistent with energy policy goals, to:
  • secure the long-term future of coal-fired power generation and coal production in the UK;
  • optimise the use of our economical coal reserves; and
  • stimulate investment in clean coal technologies;

as part of a portfolio of measures to tackle the challenges of climate change, security of energy supply and fuel poverty.

Working Principles

• The Forum is a non-advisory, voluntary organisation. It proceeds by consensus and partnership, but members not required to commit to any particular solution or programme of work
• Forum members contribute in their area of expertise to provide collective leadership to the coal extraction and generation industry
• Forum members will work to develop strategies to maximise the economic production of UK coal from both deep and surface mines
• The Forum discusses issues that may be commercially or politically sensitive, without prejudicing the interests of the industry or Government

Coal Forum Overview Report

The Coal Forum published its Second Overview Report on Friday, 26 September and is available below:

• Second overview of the work of the UK coal forum: July 2007 to July 2008 (393KB)
  URN 08/P18

The Government responsed to the Coal Forum's Second Overview on Friday, 13 March 2009, and a copy is available below:

• Response, on behalf of the Government, by Mike O’Brien, Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change, to the UK coal forum’s second overview published on 25 September 2008 (59KB)
  URN 09D/511

Over the last two years, the energy policy debate has become increasingly focused on three main issues and the Coal Forum's Overview summarises its views on these and other practical issues of significance, namely:

• security of supply (in winter months coal fuels c.50% of electricity generation)
• the 'energy gap' between generating capacity and future demand for electricity
• climate change and global warming, and the environmental impact of coal use

The Forum's First Overview, published in August 2007, is also available to download below:

• Overview of the work of the UK coal forum: November 2006 - June 2007  (939KB)

Minutes of the Forum meetings will be placed on the web site when completed and approved.