The bumpy road to Net Zero

In the face of legal challenges and scepticism, the government’s ambition to decarbonise its economy by 2050 will rely on changes at individual and national levels. But is the will there? 

At government level, there is currently no clear direction of travel to achieve this vision ahead of this year’s general election with the Labour and Conservative parties at odds as to which is the best route to follow. 

Meanwhile, the public’s willingness to change their lifestyles is being challenged against the backdrop of the cost-of-living crisis. 

Cavendish commissioned YouGov to explore MP and public confidence in the likelihood of reaching the 2050 Net Zero target, as well as what people believe needs to be done to increase the chances of success. 

Problems with perception 

Findings highlighted that almost half (47%) of the public surveyed believe that Net Zero policies will negatively impact their financial situation, a belief that is unlikely to diminish during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.  

Significant differences were evident in Conservative and Labour MPs’ thoughts on whether Net Zero policies should continue during the fiscal crisis, with 83% of Labour MPs surveyed agreeing with the rollout compared to 32% of Conservatives. 

Labour has solidified its Net Zero ambitions with its promise to reach Net Zero electricity in Britain by 2030 and to create GB Energy, a publicly owned clean energy company, despite doubt being cast on their £28bn a year green jobs and industry investment plans.  

Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak has recently backtracked on some of the Conservative government’s key Net Zero policies such as the roll-out of electric cars and the phasing out of gas boilers, while the UK’s climate strategy is still subject to legal challenge after being deemed unlawful in 2022. 

MPs on both sides of the political spectrum, however, generally support the government’s 2050 targets despite heavy scepticism around the likelihood of reaching them.  

The majority of the public (77%) stated that they believe it is unlikely these goals will be met, whilst more than two thirds (68%) of Labour MPs stated that they were sceptical of the government’s ambitions compared to just 33% of Conservative MPs.  

Seven steps to change 

Nevertheless, it is clear from our research that people are willing to improve the efficiency of their homes (64%), use renewable energy (55%), and switch to low carbon heating (46%) to assist in the Net Zero effort. 

The switch to an electric vehicle (41%), diet changes (27%), a reduction in air travel (23%), and no unnecessary travel (34%) proved to be less popular approaches. 

MPs on both sides of the spectrum broadly agree with their constituents in their beliefs on what individuals should prioritise to reduce their personal impact on climate change. 

Improved insulation took precedence with 76% of Conservative and 85% of Labour MPs showing support for this measure, while just 2% of Conservative and 8% of Labour MPs prioritised diet changes. 

Improved efficiency is closely followed by the want to switch to renewable energy sources in the journey to Net Zero with offshore wind (56%) and tidal (51%) most popular.  

For all their wants, the main political parties are yet to provide clear leadership on Net Zero, placing businesses and developers at the forefront to offer solutions to the challenge. Those who incorporate innovative renewable energy technologies and high-standard energy efficiency measures are sure to attract the attention of the next government to unlock the answers to the Net Zero question. 

It is clear from our research that businesses in this sector must continue to carve out the benefits around energy security and Net Zero to drive momentum in the face of scepticism. The desire is there, it is now the sector’s time to accelerate the movement. 

You can download the full report at https://cavendishconsulting.com/insights/attitudes-to-net-zero/.