Nigel Farage faces a significant setback as recent polling reveals strong public backing for the UK’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions. According to a YouGov survey, 60% of respondents support the country’s green initiatives, while only 25% oppose them.
Reform UK has taken a stance against 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 goals.
During the recent COP 30 conference in Belem, Brazil, the Prime Minister criticized both Reform UK and the Conservative Party, emphasizing the importance of wholeheartedly embracing net zero to prevent adverse effects on energy costs and national security.
Support for net zero commitments is strongest among Green Party voters from 2024, with 86% in favor. Additionally, a significant percentage of Labour and Liberal Democrat supporters (76-79%) also back the initiative.
Although former Prime Minister Theresa May enshrined the net zero commitment into law in 2019, the survey indicates that only 48% of Conservative voters support the target, with a less fervent level of enthusiasm. Most Tory supporters indicated a tendency to support net zero rather than strongly endorsing it, while 37% expressed opposition. In contrast, a majority of Reform UK voters oppose net zero, with only 23% in favor.
Public opinion on net zero seems to be influenced by personal perceptions of how it will impact individuals, with 75% of opponents expecting negative consequences. The survey of 2083 adults further revealed that 39% believe the government is not currently doing enough to address climate change, while 57% of net zero supporters feel more action is necessary.
Despite the aspirations for net zero, only 2% of Britons believe the UK will achieve the goal by 2050. Responding to the survey findings, a Labour representative emphasized the importance of clean energy for national security, job creation, and lower energy costs, contrasting with the perceived negative impact of Reform UK’s energy policies.
In a statement, a Labour source criticized Nigel Farage’s stance on net zero as detrimental to workers and highlighted the potential risks posed by Reform’s energy policies to clean energy jobs and increased energy costs for families and businesses. The Labour party reiterated its commitment to providing financial relief on energy bills and promoting clean, domestically sourced energy to create jobs and reduce long-term energy costs.