‘I try to imagine being stuffed into the cages shoulder-to-shoulder with a crowd of men in a duplicate cage above, the rock face racing by inches beyond the open frame as we descend into the mine, leaving the world of light and fresh air behind for a seven-hour shift over half a kilometre underground.’

‘From the Ground, Light’, Hinterland Issue 14, pp. 90-109, p.96.

As COP 28 comes to a close I’m proud to be among the contributors of Hinterland 14 – a climate writing special with wonderful cover art by Nature and Wildlife photographer Tashi R. Ghale, guest edited by Iona Macduff and featuring an interview with author of Marginlands Arita Kumar-Rao.

From the editors:

“Climate change has become a constant presence in our lives, and increasingly inflects our writing. Yet, actively writing about climate change is not easy. The contributors of this Climate Writing special issue have risen to the challenge, whether it’s writing about forest fires in New Mexico, frogs in Australia, rivers in Manchester, or the effects of human activity and the Anthropocene.”

My own contribution ‘From the Ground, Light’ explores the mining heritage of my hometown through the re-landscaped mining grounds of Sutton Manor Colliery and the experiences of a former miner. It reflects on our complex relationships with the landscape and the heritage of our industrial past, but also on the impacts of climate change, our ongoing reliance on fossil fuels, and our failure to transition to green energy.

Hinterland Instagram post on my piece, HERE.

Also featuring work from Alison Baxter, Joe Fenn, Tamsin Grainger, David Howe, Rita Issa, Clara Kubler, Wendy Johnson, Iona Macduff, Meg Mooney, Millie Prosser and Joe Shute, with photography by Tashie R. Ghale

Order Hinterland 14 here.