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The survey of 2,153 UK adults found that 50% of respondents think cutting carbon emissions to net zero by 2050 is important, compared with only 21% who think it is not important. It also reveals a nation that is divided on climate action, with differences of opinion shaped by political identity, generational differences and socioeconomic status.
Despite continued support for climate action overall, the research suggests
that more needs to be done to communicate a credible delivery plan. Just 12% of respondents think that the UK government has set out a clear pathway for achieving net zero by 2050 (placed as 7 to 10 out of 10 on a scale).
The findings come ahead of the UK government’s seventh carbon budget, due to be set in law by the end of June, which will outline emissions reduction targets for 2038-2042 under the 2008 Climate Change Act. Since the UK adopted its legally binding net-zero target for 2050 in 2019, carbon budgets have played a major role in mapping the pathway to delivery.
The poll suggests that the government faces a dual challenge: maintaining public support for climate action while providing a clear, economically credible roadmap for achieving its goals. However, attitudes differ across the political spectrum. Among those who voted Green in the 2024 general election, 77% said that reaching net zero by 2050 is important (rating it as 7 to 10 out of 10 in importance), as did 71% of Labour voters and 66% of Liberal Democrat voters. Support falls to 34% among Conservative voters and just 12% among Reform UK voters.
Signe Norberg, director of policy and public affairs at ISEP, said: “Decarbonisation remains a critical priority, economically and socially – and continues to have public support. Despite a political fragmentation surrounding climate policy in the UK, this poll finds that twice as many people support the UK’s climate target as oppose it. That support is holding, even amid a cost-of-living crisis, rising energy prices and growing concerns around energy security.”
Age also shapes attitudes to climate action. Nearly two-thirds (62%) of 18- to 24-year-olds view net zero as important, compared with 43% of those aged over 65. Men are also more sceptical than women: 28% of men say net zero is unimportant (rating it as 0 to 3 out of 10 in importance), versus 16% of women.
The YouGov poll was conducted alongside ISEP’s forthcoming State of the Profession Survey, due to be published in July, with several questions designed to compare the views of sustainability professionals and the wider public. The ISEP survey found overwhelming support (87%) for achieving net-zero targets by 2050, although just over a third (36.3%) thought that the UK had a clear roadmap to reach the target.
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