‘The Law Will Protect a Species, But not its Ecosystem’ — Fighting for Wildlife at the UK’s Newest Coal Mine

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One of the protesters acquitted last week of trespassing on a new coal mine site in County Durham has spoken out against the legal system that protects designated animal species but fails to protect the climate.

Sarah Johnson was found not guilty of aggravated trespass along with seven other protesters, after the group argued they had been fighting to prevent a wildlife crime against a newt species classified as endangered by European law.

It’s really bittersweet,” Johnson said of the outcome, “because the law serves to protect this species as it should, but when it comes to the climate – that Banks Group is directly affecting by mining coal that will be burnt – that’s not protected. If we had argued for climate change, we probably wouldn’t have won.”