MORE than 200 Shropshire residents have written to their local councillor and MP asking them to back a new law setting out how the UK can step up its fight against climate change.

A cross-party motion will be tabled at a Shropshire Council meeting later this month calling on the authority to pledge its support to the Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE) Bill.

It comes after a letter signed by 105 members of the public was submitted at the last full council meeting urging to the council to add its voice to the growing number of organisations to come out in support of the bill.

Ahead of the council debate, the Shropshire CEE Bill Alliance is asking county residents concerned about the climate emergency to make their voices heard by flooding the inboxes of councillors and MPs.

The CEE Bill, introduced into Parliament as a Private Members Bill by Caroline Lucas of the Green Party in November 2020, has been drawn up by scientists, lawyers and campaigners. It offers a roadmap for the UK to achieve its Paris Agreement targets and keep the increase in average global temperatures under 1.5C.

Shrewsbury resident Jamie Russell, one of the founders of the Shropshire campaign, said: “We’ve been staggered by how many people have sent emails via our website.

“It’s obvious that many Shropshire residents don’t think the UK is moving fast enough to avoid climate catastrophe.”

The CEE Bill currently has the cross-party backing of almost 100 MPs in Parliament, as well as public figures such as the former Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, the author Margaret Atwood and organisations including Greenpeace, The Body Shop and Ecotricity. However, none of Shropshire’s MPs have yet expressed their support for it.

The bill proposes setting a new goal for the UK to become carbon neutral by 2030 rather than the current target of 2050.

Mr Russell said: “When you dial 999 you don’t expect to be told to wait three decades for a response.”

If councillors vote to support the CEE bill motion, the authority will be required to write to local MPs Daniel Kawczynski, Philip Dunne and Owen Paterson encouraging them to back the bill.

Mr Russell said: “Shropshire Council needs to show leadership on the climate emergency and it needs to recognise the concerns of Shropshire residents.

“In customer service they say that for every one complaint received there are another twenty-six unhappy people who are remaining silent.

“Shropshire residents are clearly very worried about this issue. If you are one of them then please visit our website and make your voice heard.”

People wishing to email their councillor and MP can do so via www.shropshireCEEbill.co.uk

The motion will be tabled at the next full council meeting on February 25.