The UK Coal Authority, tasked with managing the nation's coal mining legacy, has unveiled a nature recovery plan, aiming to integrate nature-related credits into its financial models by 2026.
Wildlife photography of Puffins on Skomer Island in Wales. AI generated picture.
The new three-year strategy (2024–2026) focuses on four main goals: enhancing the connection between people and nature, building the value of nature into operations, improving ecological networks, and fostering new partnerships. This approach aims to collaborate with both public and private sectors to develop financial mechanisms like nature credits to combat biodiversity loss.
Carl Banton, the Operations Director at the Coal Authority, emphasised the agency's commitment to reversing biodiversity decline. ‘This plan reflects our dedication to making ecosystems more resilient and integrating nature into our operations’, he stated.
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A significant aspect of the plan is the development of a mapping program to record and manage data on landscape and biodiversity assets. This will help identify key habitats and develop strategies to protect and enhance them, ensuring they support biodiversity.
The Coal Authority oversees over 1,300 hectares of land across England, Scotland, and Wales. With around 25% of UK homes and businesses situated above former coal mines, the plan includes creating larger interconnected sites that offer flood protection and clean water.
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As the biodiversity credit market gains traction under the biodiversity net gain (BNG) regulation, more companies are exploring this market. The Biodiversity Consultancy (TBC) noted that mining companies are actively engaging in nature-based solutions that could translate into credits, aiming to move from nature neutrality to being 'nature positive'.
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