A petition calling on Pembrokeshire County Council to reaffirm its own commitment to becoming a net-zero council in just five years has already gained enough supporters to be discussed by councillors.

The petition follows councillors agreeing, in July, to decision to set up a group to review its own decision to declare a climate emergency some six years ago.

In May 2019, the council declared a climate emergency following a notice of motion by Cllr Joshua Beynon calling on the authority to back the global consensus that climate change poses a risk to the well-being of future generations.

He had urged county councillors to back a motion to take “bold, decisive action” to fight “truly, catastrophic” climate change, with the council to committing to becoming a zero-carbon local authority by 2030.

The e-petition, by Lynda Duffill of West Wales Climate Coalition, on the council’s own website, reads: “We call upon Pembrokeshire County Council to a) reaffirm their Declaration of a Climate Emergency, and b) retain their ambition to deliver Net Zero Council operations by 2030 via their Action Plan towards Becoming a Net Zero-carbon Local Authority. This would align the council with Welsh Government policy, and the Well-being of Future Generations Act.

“We understand that financial constraints exist for the county council and are concerned that a review of the council’s zero carbon plan, for its own operations, will result in an erosion of ambition to make a difference to its own carbon footprint and consequently Pembrokeshire’s citizens.

“We are concerned that a plan designed to address what is still a climate emergency will be eroded if the ambition to reach Net Zero Council Operations by 2030 is not upheld. We are also concerned that any changes to the plan will prove contrary to the Well-being of Future Generations Act.”

The petition, started on September 1 and running through to November 7, has already generated more than 250 signatures, meaning it will be debated at a future council committee and could even be brought to full council.

If the petition gets 500 signatures, the creator will have an opportunity to debate it at a future full council meeting.

Any petition of between 100 and 499 signatures triggers a debate at one of the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committees.

West Wales Climate Coalition’s Lynda Duffill said: “We’ve been talking with many local people recently who are appalled that Pembs are even thinking of backtracking on this.”

One of the group, Sian Vaughan, a retired head teacher who lives in Fishguard said: “Climate change is a massive threat to every one of us. We can see the effects around us, we’re getting hotter summers, periods of drought and then sudden heavier rainfall, stronger storms and more flooding. What kind of a world are we leaving to our children?”

Cllr Beynon, recently said that removing a commitment to deliver Net Zero Council operations by 2030 could harm the economic future of the area, with renewable energy investment coming into the county.