Politics Matters
How voting preferences shape support for net zero policies
POLITICS MATTER
How voting shapes support for net zero policies
POLITICS MATTER
How voting shapes support for net zero policies
The spectrum of climate change views among UK voters
Politics matters! There are stark differences in views on climate change and net zero depending on political preferences.
People who voted for the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats or the Green Party in the recent General Election tend to be more worried about climate change than those who voted for the Conservatives. They are also more supportive of political parties that take strong action on climate change.
Reform UK voters are the least worried about climate change and least supportive of political parties taking strong action on it. However, it’s worth noting that they are split on climate concern, with half worried about climate change to some extent.
Which net zero policies get the electorate’s vote?
Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green voters tend to be more supportive of net zero policies than Conservative and Reform UK voters, both initially and after considering the negative personal impacts. When looking at net support for policies, these voters support all of the net zero policies more than oppose, both initially and after considering the negative personal impacts, Green voters especially so.
Support for net zero policies is lower among 2024 Conservative or Reform UK voters. When looking at net support, both groups of voters also support fewer policies overall. The policies that Conservative voters do support are: frequent flyer levies, changing product pricing, ensuring access to sustainable pensions, and enabling people to make energy efficiency improvements to their home.
Reform UK voters support frequent flyer levies and enabling people to make energy efficiency improvements to their homes on balance. With upgrading the energy efficiency of UK homes through the Warm Homes Plan being announced as one of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s top priorities under Ed Miliband, it is notable that there is widespread support for this policy across the political spectrum.
After considering negative personal impacts, Conservative voters would still support changing product pricing and enabling people to make energy efficiency improvements to their home (i.e. the policies they tended to support initially); Reform UK voters would only support the latter.
After considering negative personal impacts, Conservative voters would still support changing product pricing
Comparing support for net zero policies between Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservative voters from 2019 and voters in 2024, support levels are similar across those who voted for Labour in 2019 and then those who voted Labour in 2024. The pattern is the same with 2019 Conservative voters compared to 2024 Conservative voters.
However, 2024 Liberal Democrat voters are less supportive of some net zero policies than those who voted for this party in 2019. This is the case for six of the net zero policies, in particular low traffic neighbourhoods (57% support among 2019 voters versus 47% among 2024 voters) and changing product pricing (81% among 2019 voters versus 70% support among 2024 voters). Given that the 2024 Liberal Democrat voters surveyed are similar to 2019 voters in terms of demographic characteristics, this difference may be due to some voters switching from Conservative to Liberal Democrat at this year’s election. One in five (18%) 2024 Liberal Democrat voters voted for the Conservatives in 2019 and Conservative voters are generally less supportive of net zero policies.
2024 Liberal Democrat voters are less supportive of some net zero policies than those who voted for this party in 2019
Liberal Democrat voters support for low traffic neighbourhoods
2024
2019
Comparing support for net zero policies between Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservative voters from 2019 and voters in 2024, support levels are similar across those who voted for Labour in 2019 and then those who voted Labour in 2024. The pattern is the same with 2019 Conservative voters compared to 2024 Conservative voters.
However, 2024 Liberal Democrat voters are less supportive of some net zero policies than those who voted for this party in 2019. This is the case for six of the net zero policies, in particular low traffic neighbourhoods (57% support among 2019 voters versus 47% among 2024 voters) and changing product pricing (81% among 2019 voters versus 70% support among 2024 voters). Given that the 2024 Liberal Democrat voters surveyed are similar to 2019 voters in terms of demographic characteristics, this difference may be due to some voters switching from Conservative to Liberal Democrat at this year’s election. One in five (18%) 2024 Liberal Democrat voters voted for the Conservatives in 2019 and Conservative voters are generally less supportive of net zero policies.
Liberal Democrat voters
Support for low traffic neighbourhoods
2024
2019
Support for changing product pricing
2024
2019
What about behaviour change?
When it comes to flying and driving, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green voters are more likely to change their transport behaviours to benefit the environment if they are made aware of other co-benefits, whilst Conservative or Reform UK voters are less likely to do so. Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green voters who fly regularly would be more likely to reduce the number of flights they take if alternatives are cheaper.
For Conservative or Reform UK voters who fly regularly, they would still be unlikely to reduce flying despite the cost saving. Likewise, when it comes to driving, where cost or time savings can be made, Labour, Liberal Democrat or Green voters who drive regularly are likely to reduce the amount of driving they do, while Conservative and Reform UK voters are not.
Likelihood of reducing flying in different scenarios
2024 Voters
Q: And how likely or unlikely, if at all, would you be to reduce how often you fly in order to benefit the environment? Base: 1282 UK adults aged 16 + who fly regularly (at least 2-3 times a year), 18 – 24 April 2024
Likelihood of reducing driving in different scenarios
2024 Voters
Q: How likely or unlikely, if at all, would you be to reduce how often you drive in order to benefit the environment? Base: 1282 UK adults aged 16 + who drive regularly, 18 – 24 April 2024
Regardless of past voting patterns, most people support the provision of some form of government subsidy to help with the cost of net zero policies or the behaviour changes these would require. The exact form of this subsidy differs by voting groups. Labour and Green voters are more supportive of universal subsidies than Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Reform UK voters, while Liberal Democrats are more supportive of subsidies for those on low incomes. Considerably more people who voted Conservative or Reform UK at the election in July say that there should be no subsidies at all, compared to Labour, Liberal Democrat or Green voters.
Regardless of past voting patterns, most people support the provision of some form of government subsidy to help with the cost of net zero policies or the behaviour changes these would require
Beyond the headlines
Across the political spectrum, the most common source of information for net zero policies is TV news/radio. This is especially the case for those who voted Conservative in the election compared to other groups of voters. This is followed by print media and social media as the second and third most common sources for Labour, Liberal Democrat or Reform UK voters, while for Conservative voters it is UK government departments. Green voters stand out as having social media and scientists and academics as their next most consulted sources.
When it comes to trust, all groups of voters trust scientists and academics the most for information on net zero policies. Notably, for Conservative voters, they trust scientists/academics and TV news/radio equally. This suggests they may be more readily influenced by dominant news narratives on the climate than other voters. Across the information sources researched, trust is lowest among Reform UK voters, who are most likely of all voter groups to say they don’t know who they trust.
Across the political spectrum, the most common source of information for net zero policies is TV news/radio
The road to uniting UK voters on climate action
Politics and support for net zero policies appear intertwined, with Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green voters being more worried about the climate and supportive of policies to support the net zero transition than Conservative and Reform UK voters. There is a lot to do to engage Conservative and Reform UK voters to bring them along in the net zero journey, but not all is lost. Some policies remain popular with these voters even when there are potential negative personal impacts.
This is particularly true for home energy efficiency improvements, which is also a key priority for the new Labour Government. Talking about co-benefits may boost support for net zero policies among Conservative or Reform UK voters, but moving the dial on actual behaviour is trickier. In this case, it may be more effective to talk about the financial benefits of behaviour change (such as cost savings) first, climate second.
It may be more effective to talk about the financial benefits of behaviour change (such as cost savings) first, climate second.
