UK net zero strategy 'wearing thin' with public, says report

The study carried about Strathclyde and Aberdeen universities found that the UK’s progress on reducing carbon emissions over the last 35 years had strong public backing - but that this is starting to wane.

The analysis found communities “simply haven’t seen themselves as part of the net‑zero story” and that policies “haven’t always empowered people or improved their day‑to‑day lives”.

It comes as the UK Government is under pressure to allow for more drilling in the North Sea because of the war in the Middle East.

According to the report, recent years have seen declining cross‑party political support and a noticeable shift in public attitudes toward net‑zero, which has raised concerns about the UK’s climate strategy.

The authors argue that one key reason for this shift is that the benefits of net‑zero have not been evenly felt and need to be aligned to people’s real lives.

The report says that while past progress relied largely on changes in the energy sector with the removal of coal and growth of renewables - which has often been invisible to the public - the remaining emissions are tied to everyday activities: transport, heating and food.

Decarbonising these areas will require more direct involvement from households and communities, making public support essential.

Professor Tavis Potts, project lead at the University of Aberdeen, said: “Many communities simply haven’t seen themselves as part of the net‑zero story. Policies so far have reduced emissions impressively but they haven’t always empowered people or improved their day‑to‑day lives.”

“Climate action is being done to people rather than with them, and as a result, the way we are governing the UK’s net-zero transition is beginning to wear thin on the British public. Frustration is growing, just as we’re entering the most people‑centred phase of the transition. Collectively we need to ensure that the transition genuinely supports people across the UK and provides material improvements to communities.”

Read more: NHS came 'close to collapse' during the pandemic, says covid inquiry chair

The report concludes that the current, centralised model of governing net‑zero is no longer fit for purpose.

Read more: Angela Rayner lines up leadership tilt - but needs others to put the knife in

But it adds that local, community‑driven approaches could accelerate decarbonisation and also rebuild public confidence.

It also says that this could help save our struggling high streets, ageing infrastructure, public health and cost of living.

Get our revamped Steamie newsletter

The report’s lead author Professor Matthew Hannon, Director of the Strathclyde Institute for Sustainable Communities, said: “The UK’s net-zero mandate is in peril and following the UK’s next general election in 2029, may no longer exist; effectively derailing our net-zero transition.

The Scottish and UK Governments were approached for comment.