Nigel Farage faces a significant setback as recent polling reveals that a majority of the public is in favor of the UK’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions. According to a YouGov survey, 60% of respondents support the country’s environmental goals, while only 25% oppose them.
Reform UK has pledged to overturn Britain’s climate targets, dismissing the existence of a climate crisis and endorsing a return to fracking. Kemi Badenoch has also promised to abandon the UK Government’s climate commitments.
During the COP 30 conference in Belem, Brazil, the Prime Minister strongly criticized both Reform UK and the Tories, emphasizing the importance of wholeheartedly embracing the net zero initiative to prevent adverse impacts on energy costs and national security.
Support for net zero targets is most pronounced among Green Party voters for the 2024 election, with 86% in favor, and also enjoys substantial backing from Labour and Liberal Democrat supporters, ranging from 76% to 79%.
While former Prime Minister Theresa May enshrined the net zero commitment in law in 2019, the survey indicates that only 48% of Conservative voters currently support this objective, albeit with less enthusiasm. A significant portion of Tory supporters express only moderate backing for net zero, with 37% in opposition.
The survey suggests that individuals’ views on net zero correlate with their personal expectations. The majority of opponents (75%) believe the initiative will have negative consequences for them.
Moreover, the survey of 2083 adults highlights that 39% of Britons feel the government’s efforts to combat climate change are insufficient. While 13% believe the balance is right, 24% think too many resources are allocated to this issue. Among net zero supporters, 57% feel that not enough is being done.
Despite the widespread support for net zero, only 2% of respondents believe the UK will successfully achieve this goal. Even among supporters of the initiative, only 28% are optimistic about reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
In response, a Labour spokesperson emphasized the importance of clean energy for national security, cost reduction, and job creation, contrasting their approach with the perceived negative impact of Reform UK’s energy policies.
A Labour source criticized Nigel Farage’s opposition to net zero, arguing that it threatens clean energy jobs and would burden households and businesses with higher energy bills. In contrast, Labour aims to provide financial relief to families during the winter and promote domestic clean energy production to create jobs and lower energy costs in the long term.