The number of Britons who think the dangers of global warming have been exaggerated has jumped by more than 50 percent in the past four years, new research for The Times reveals today. [emphasis, links added]
One in four voters now believes that concerns over climate change are not as real as scientists have said, amid growing public concern about the cost of the government’s net-zero policies.
Less than a third of the public (30 percent) are in favor of banning new petrol and diesel cars — down from 51 percent in 2021.
Only 16 percent of voters said they would be prepared to pay higher gas bills to encourage the switch to electricity.
Experts said the findings showed that growing climate skepticism within mainstream politics in both Britain and the US was cutting through with voters, as the broad consensus on climate action breaks down.
“Climate change is being politicised [in the UK] in the same way that has been done in the United States,” said Professor Wouter Poortinga, an environmental psychologist at the University of Cardiff.
“If you have Kemi Badenoch standing up saying that we’re going to drill, baby, drill, that will have a polarising effect.”
The research, in collaboration with YouGov and the opinion consultancy Public First, compared public sentiment on climate change today with a study carried out by The Times in 2021.
Four years ago, climate change was identified as the fourth most important issue facing the country, ahead of immigration and asylum, education, and crime.
At the time, only 11 percent of the 1,600-plus people questioned said that global warming was not the result of human activity, while only 16 percent believed that the warnings from scientists about its implications were exaggerated.
Now, climate change has fallen right down the list of public concerns, while there has been a marked increase in climate scepticism.
The environment [which is not the same as climate change. -ccd ed.] has fallen behind issues such as the economy and immigration, but is still above education, transport, and Brexit.
Today, 16 percent of voters think global warming is not the result of human activity, while 25 percent think the threat has been exaggerated.
The findings come amid growing concern at the top of government that its climate change policies could cost it votes at the next election.
Nigel Farage has called for net-zero policies to be scrapped, saying the backlash against green energy could become the “new Brexit” while the Conservatives have announced a review of their support for climate change policies amid warnings from Kemi Badenoch that the political consensus “cannot hold”.
Badenoch told The Times that the polling showed the plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 would not work.
She said: “Keir Starmer is living in a fantasy land while families pay the price. That is why I have said plainly: net zero in its current form is impossible.”
While the energy secretary Ed Miliband remains confident that his department’s policies will reduce energy bills and create jobs, some in Downing Street remain unconvinced.
In particular, there is concern that Labour’s election pledge to create 100 percent green electricity by 2030 could end up pushing up bills. There are also worries that jobs lost by reducing North Sea oil and gas production will not be replaced like-for-like with new green jobs.
These fears are borne out in the Times polling, which finds a marked increase in reluctance by the public to countenance the types of measures that experts believe will be necessary to reduce Britain’s emissions and hit legally binding climate targets.
Less than a third of the public support banning gas boilers in new homes, while only 30 percent are in favor of banning new petrol and diesel cars — down from 51 percent in 2021.
Support for new taxes on gas bills to encourage people to switch from boilers to heat pumps has also declined markedly, from 24 percent four years ago to 16 percent now.
People are far less prepared to pay for the cost of net zero than they were four years ago, even from a low base.
Top image via The Independent/YouTube screencap
Read rest at The Times
It doesn’t matter whether the Climate Alarm is true or not, the UK produces less than 1% of man made CO2 and our electricity generation produces only 20% of the total. It follows that Net zero is all cost and no value!
I do not understand the lack of common sense in many people. They believe what activists and politicians tell them? If you are concerned about your weather, try looking outside and think, what was the weather like last year and the year before…. I’ll bet my house the weather no matter where you are, has not changed in your life-time, so why do you believe all the garbage being put to you?