Broad public support for tough action on climate change – poll

Polling by Ipsos Mori found Britons want to see increased investment in renewable energy, a ban on products linked to deforestation and more ambitious plans to help cut global emissions.

The survey of 2,046 British adults aged 16 to 75 found 60% wanted a ban on imported goods linked to deforestation, compared to just 10% who did not.

A further 56% of the public would like to see a ban on all types of goods in the UK that are linked to deforestation, while just 11% were actively against it.

It found 58% wanted the UK to use its diplomatic influence to persuade other countries to slash their emissions, compared to just 8% who were opposed to this.

More than half, 56%, wanted to see the UK reduce emissions at a faster pace to set an example to other countries, while just 4% strongly opposed this.

Another 53% supported restricted trade with countries who do not commit to international climate targets, while 51% support an end to the UK’s investment in coal, oil and gas projects abroad.

A strong majority -71% – supported increased investment in renewable energy in the UK, compared to just 7% who actively opposed it.

Forty-four percent said all coal-fired power generation must end in the UK, compared to 17% who were against such a move.

But the question of sending financial aid to developing countries was more contentious.

The UK giving aid to poorer countries to help them adapt to the impact of climate change and also to help them reduce their emissions was supported by 44% of respondents.

But around a quarter would oppose this – 24% did not want money spent on helping foreign countries adapt, and 25% did not want to see it spent on helping them cut greenhouse gases.

Opinion was more evenly split on the future of car travel.

Thirty-five percent supported a ban on the sale of new petrol cars – something scheduled to happen in 2030 – while 32% were opposed.

The Government has pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 68% by 2030 – a target supported by most respondents.

Forty-two per cent said the Government’s pledge was at the right level, while 25% said it was too ambitious, and only 17% said it was not ambitious enough.

Just 4% said such commitment was unnecessary.

A previous Ipsos Mori survey in March this year found only 31% of Britons thought the Government had a clear plan to tackle climate change.

Jessica Long, head of sustainability at Ipsos Mori, said: “Previous Ipsos Mori surveys have shown how keen Britons are for the Government to take action against climate change – here we see particular interest in tighter regulations and increased investments.

“As well as desires to see more done on home soil, there is appetite and opportunity for the UK to be global leaders in the climate change fight.”

The survey results come in the wake of the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which found humans are unequivocally driving catastrophic levels of global warming.

The impacts of rising greenhouse gas levels are already being felt, with consequences such as heatwaves, rising seas and extreme rain already being seen around the world.

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres described the report as a “code red for humanity”.

Alok Sharma, president of Cop26 – the urgent climate talk scheduled for November 2021 in Glasgow – also pulled no punches about the scale of the threat.

In an interview with the Guardian over the weekend he warned humans were getting “dangerously close” to running out of time to avert catastrophe.

But amid its dire warnings, the IPCC report also found temperature rises have a good chance of remaining below 1.5C in the long term if carbon emissions are cut to net zero by 2050.

It must also be accompanied by huge efforts to take more carbon dioxide out of the air than is put into the atmosphere, along with deep cuts to other greenhouse gases.

The scientists behind the report worked out that based on current pledges of action emissions put the world on a pathway that could lead to 2.7C of warming by the late 21st century – or higher if the pledges were not delivered on.

The Ipsos Mori survey was conducted on July 29 2021.