A government-run survey has cast doubt on Labour’s push for net zero as Brits fear that it would push up living expenses in both the short and long term.
The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero’s (DESNZ) own research has suggested that the government is losing the public’s faith in its mission to cut energy bills by accelerating Britain’s energy transition away from fossil fuels.
The Whitehall-run survey found that 69 per cent of people believed net zero policies would increase their living expenses in the next two years, a rise of four percentage points compared to the last time the research was conducted.
Brits were also more negative (41 per cent) about the impacts of net zero on the UK economy in the short term than positive (22 per cent).
In the long term, the number of people believing net zero would push up energy bills and other expenses was double those who predicted expenses to fall.
But respondents were more positive about the benefits of net zero in the long term, though the number of people taking a more negative view about long-term impacts had increased on the quarter.
While the survey showed that four in five (79 per cent) remain concerned about climate change, it showed wide fractures in public sentiment about solutions to lowering energy bills and protecting the UK against risks.
The findings come as net zero secretary Ed Miliband is facing intense scrutiny over a Labour pledge to cut energy bills by £300 by 2030 through pushing for clean power.
The economist Pawel Czyzak, the author of a report Labour used to come up with its figure, said the rising costs of offshore wind and other electricity costs risked meaning any potential savings are “wiped out”, adding that the current situation was “much different” to 2023 when the analysis was produced.
Net zero under fire
The biggest energy security concern across the DESNZ survey were higher energy prices, followed by a lack of investment in alternative sources of energy.
The survey also recorded a falling level of awareness about heat pumps and a higher number of people saying they would not install them.
A minority of Brits – 18 per cent – said they would be happy to have energy infrastructure built in local areas, a smaller number than seen at the same time last year. A lower proportion of people also said they would be happy for onshore wind farms or solar farms to be built in nearby areas.
Research by DESNZ raises questions on whether the Labour government has managed to maintain public support levels for net zero amid suggestions some policies could be watered down.
Industry groups and think tanks, as well as President Donald Trump, are urging the Labour government to support North Sea oil and gas projects.
Business groups have called on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to remove windfall taxes on energy giants including Shell and BP while the Tony Blair Institute has called on Labour to ditch its 2030 clean power target and focus on lowering energy bills.
The author of the TBI report, Tone Langengen, said the transition to clean power should be “at a pace that doesn’t lock the public into higher prices for longer”.
“We must keep the public with us and make the transition affordable. Ordinary families understandably care about their bills and their jobs, not meeting arbitrary targets.”
Net zero now a political dividing line
The Tories have vowed to abandon a 2050 net zero target while Reform has pledged to scrap energy policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions.
An Energy UK official said: “It is understandable that the public is questioning the short-term benefits of Net Zero. But it’s important to remember that these costs have largely been caused by the price of gas.
“If the government is serious about its clean power mission and bringing down energy bills, it must urgently address the policy costs added to bills so that consumers can feel the benefits of a just transition to net zero.”
A DESNZ spokesperson said: “Accelerating to net zero is the economic opportunity of the 21st century and at the heart of our mission to boost growth, create jobs and tackle the climate crisis.
“By making Britain a clean energy superpower, we are taking back control of our energy to protect the British people from volatile fossil fuel prices and onto clean, homegrown power.”
By City AM
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