RESIDENTS and key organisations came together at the Regency Hall in Saundersfoot last month for a Climate Adaptation Community Event, organised by Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum (PCF) and Saundersfoot Community Council (SCC).

The event on June 12 featured drop-in stands and open conversations on coastal management, flooding, nature recovery and planning. Representatives from Natural Resources Wales, Pembrokeshire County Council, the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, and other key organisations were on hand to answer questions and share information with local residents.

Tom Luddington, Coastal Stakeholder Manager at Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum, presented an update on the Climate Adaptation work to date, including the development of the Pembrokeshire Climate Adaptation Toolkit – a resource that has now received international recognition as a UN Ocean Decade endorsed activity. The toolkit is designed to help communities across the county build resilience to the increased risks from climate change, such as extreme weather, a rise in sea level and risk of wildfire.

Councillor Alec Cormack, Chair of Saundersfoot Community Council, outlined two significant community-led initiatives: the creation of a Saundersfoot Emergency Volunteers group, led by Councillor Tony Wall, and the commissioning of an expert scoping report on the threats posed to the village by sea and river flooding. The report will be carried out by Professor Harshinie Karunarathna, a specialist in coastal engineering and climate change impacts at Swansea University.

Organisers are now looking forward to the next public meeting, at which Professor Karunarathna will present the findings of the scoping report to the community. The results are expected to inform decisions on what adaptation measures the community wishes to pursue and will support the Council in lobbying for resources.

The event was made possible through Welsh Government funding via the new Coastal Coordinator role.

For more information, contact Tom Luddington at [email protected].