Climate change petition bid by campaigners

Environmental campaigners have launched a petition calling on Shropshire Council to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Environmental campaigners have launched a petition calling on Shropshire Council to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Members of the Shropshire Green Party and Extinction Rebellion have set up an e-petition on the council’s website.

If it gains 1,000 signatures by November 25 it will be debated by full council – and it currently stands on more than 420. 

Shropshire Council is set to present its plans on how it plans to tackle climate change at full council in December – which is expected to set a target date.

The petition says: “We the undersigned petition the council to agree a target date of 2030 for achieving ‘net carbon zero’ emissions from the councils activities, and to design an action plan in accordance with this target. 

“We welcome the council’s declaration of a climate emergency and commitment to work towards net zero greenhouse gas emissions for the council’s activities and for the county. 

“But time is short.

“The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report a year ago was clear that urgent action is essential if we are to limit global temperature rise to no more than 1.5c.

“This is a huge challenge and achieving net zero carbon for the council is much more likely to be achieved if a target is set. 2030 is the date for which we should aim.”

A statement from Shropshire Council said: “If a petition contains more than 1,000 signatures it will be debated by the full council unless it is a petition asking for a senior council officer to give evidence at a public meeting.  

“This means that the issue raised in the petition will be discussed at a meeting which all councillors can attend.  

“The council will endeavour to consider the petition at its next meeting, although on some occasions this may not be possible and consideration will then take place at the following meeting.  

“The petition organiser will be given five minutes to present the petition at the meeting and the petition will then be discussed by councillors for a maximum of 15 minutes.

“The council will decide how to respond to the petition at this meeting.  

“They may decide to take action the petition requests, not to take action requested for reasons put forward in the debate, or to commission further investigation into the matter, for example by a relevant committee.  

“Where the issue is one on which the council executive are required to make the final decision, the council will decide whether to make recommendations to inform that decision.  

“The petition organiser will receive written confirmation of this decision.  This confirmation will also be published on our website.”

You can sign the petition at: https://shropshire.gov.uk/committee-services/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=500000036&RPID=511221535&HPID=511221535