A recent survey has revealed strong public backing for the UK’s net zero commitments, dealing a significant setback to Nigel Farage. The YouGov poll indicated that 60% of respondents support the country’s green pledges, while only 25% are against them.
Reform UK has taken a different stance, promising to scrap Britain’s climate targets, denying the existence of a climate crisis, and advocating for a return to fracking. Kemi Badenoch has also expressed intentions to abandon the UK Government’s climate commitments.
During the recent COP 30 in Belem, Brazil, the Prime Minister criticized both Reform UK and the Tories, emphasizing the importance of wholeheartedly embracing net zero to avoid negative impacts on energy costs and national security.
Support for net zero commitments was particularly high among 2024 Green voters, with 86% in favor, followed by strong support from Labour and Lib Dem voters. Despite Theresa May enshrining the net zero commitment in law in 2019, only 48% of Tories back the target, with less enthusiastic support.
Among Tories who support net zero, most indicated a tendency to support rather than strongly endorse the goal, with 37% expressing opposition. Conversely, a majority of Reform UK voters oppose net zero, with only 23% in favor.
The survey also highlighted that individuals’ support for net zero is influenced by personal expectations, with 75% of opponents foreseeing negative impacts on themselves. Additionally, 39% of Britons believe the government is not doing enough to combat climate change, while 57% of net zero supporters feel more action is required.
Despite the widespread support for net zero, only 2% of Britons believe the UK will successfully achieve the target, with 18% expecting partial success by 2050. In response, a Labour spokesperson emphasized the importance of clean energy for national security, job creation, and lower energy costs, contrasting their approach with the perceived risks of Farage and Reform UK’s energy policies.
Labor further highlighted their efforts to support families with energy bill reductions and promote clean, domestic energy production to create jobs and reduce long-term energy costs.