‘The Climate Consensus’: Study reveals widespread public support for ambitious climate policies
Major polling exercise reveals climate policies that are popular with public would deliver on the government’s goal of cutting emissions by 39 per cent by 2030 on 2019 levels
A major study of public attitudes on the best ways to reduce emissions has revealed there is a significant consensus among the British population on how the country’s near-term climate goals should be met, with sizeable majorities backing policies that would drive down emissions over the course of the next decade.
The study, which has been billed by as the largest analysis of the public’s climate policy preferences in the UK, found that the policies most popular with the public were broadly the same regardless of where the public lived, their income, or political affiliation.
Produced by conservation group WWF and cross-party think tank Demos, the report argues the most popular climate policies in the UK are the introduction of a carbon tax, better public transport, a rapid roll out of affordable low carbon heating systems, and enhanced support for sustainable farming and nature conservation projects.
The survey of more than 20,000 people from across the UK used a carbon calculator tool to ask respondents to choose their preferred policies across a range of areas, such as diet, flying, public transport, and home heating, to ensure the UK meets its legally-binding emissions goals.
Among the other policies shortlisted as favourites by the public were campaigns promoting plant-based food, increased costs for frequent flyers, the deployment of a comprehensive UK-wide electric car and van charging network, and some restrictions on the use of cars in city centres.
WWF and Demos calculated the adoption of the public’s preferred climate policies – all of which command between 77 per cent and 94 per cent support – could collectively deliver the emissions reductions required to meet the UK’s 2030 climate goal.
The report, entitled The Climate Consensus, calculates that the public’s preferred policies would deliver a 42 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030 compared to 2019, while supporting more than a million green jobs.
As such, the groups today urged the government to include the popular policies in its upcoming Net Zero Strategy, which Ministers have promised to publish before the COP26 Climate Summit next month.
“The British public have chosen the future they want – one with green jobs, clean air and thriving nature – and which doesn’t hit the worst off in the pocket,” said WWF CEO Tanya Steele. “This is within our grasp, but only if the UK government listens and sets out a clear plan and strategy for getting there.”
Demos CEO Polly Mackenzie similarly stressed the government needed to carefully engage with the public if it wanted to meet its climate goals.
“We asked the British public to set out their chosen path to meet the UK’s climate targets, and they’ve given a clear answer,” she said. “There is an overwhelming consensus of support behind solutions that would reduce carbon emissions beyond the UK’s targets, and that could create millions of jobs without leaving those on the lowest-incomes behind.
“With so much at stake and the political mandate to take bold action, the UK government must listen to the public and urgently set out a strategy that will provide a greener, stronger and better future for us all.”
The most popular policy – backed by 94 per cent of respondents – was a carbon tax on polluting manufacturing and construction businesses of £75 per tonne of CO2, with subsidies to help industries that are struggling to reduce emissions to invest in new technologies and processes.
The next most popular policies, each commanding 93 per cent support, were for local government to deliver better integrated public transport and for government, supermarkets, and food companies to introduce campaigns designed to deliver a 10 per cent reduction in meat and dairy consumption per person.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy was considering a comment at the time of going to press.
