New report says public support for climate action is overwhelming, despite growing political opposition
Fri 20 March 2026
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A new report from the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) concludes that climate action is under siege from populist and far-right actors and that it needs to be delivered with fresh confidence and commitment from government. IPPR says that watering down ambition will offer no electoral advantage because a strong, progressive agenda on climate action remains broadly popular with the public.
The report finds that elite opinion on net zero is highly polarised, with a precipitous drop in support on the political right since the general election in 2024. However, this is not mirrored in public opinion, where support has remained steady and is much higher than many politicians appear to believe. The notion of a widespread public backlash against net zero in the UK is a largely exaggerated one, amplified by sections of the media.
The report finds that the British public remains consistently supportive of the UK’s 2050 net zero target, reporting that around 60 per cent of people support the goal.
It does acknowledge, however, that climate action has fallen in terms of issue salience among those broadly supportive of the agenda, perhaps as a result of wider political turbulence, polarisation and instability.
However, overall, IPPR's research reveals that claims of a voter backlash against net zero are overstated, with political division among elites and distorted media narratives – not public opinion – posing the biggest risk to climate progress.
Becca Massey-Chase, principal research fellow and head of citizen engagement at IPPR, said: “Claims of a voter backlash against net zero have taken hold in Westminster, but the evidence shows they are largely a political myth. The British public continues to support climate action, and politicians risk fighting the wrong battle if they assume otherwise. The real danger is not public opinion – it is elite division and media narratives creating a false sense of risk.”
Related news: A new survey by Yougov for ECIU found that the conflicting messaging around net zero may also be spilling over into people's understanding about the implications of switching to new technologies, like electric vehicles. The survey found that many people remain ill-informed about electric vehicles, suggesting that misinformation is affecting people’s knowledge and understanding of EVs and dissuading them from making the switch to cheaper and cleaner electric driving.
The survey found that, when asked if ten separate statements about EVs were true or false, over half (51%) of non-EV drivers scored 2 or less out of 10 right, with 84% getting 5 or less right. Meanwhile, just 5% scored 8 or more out of 10.
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