Majority of British public are not confident the government will meet goal of zero-carbon energy by 2030

Verian’s research on the general public’s attitudes to utilities and sustainability shows:

• Three quarters think that it is important that the government should achieve their 2030 target of zero-carbon electricity generation.
• However, very few are confident that this will be met.
• People are generally supportive of new energy infrastructure being built in their local neighbourhood – especially if this reduces the cost of energy.
• The public do not generally feel that utility companies are helping them reduce energy and water usage, and many would welcome utility companies providing additional assistance.

Verian’s research used our Public Voice random sample panel. Our restrictive method of panel-building provides benefits in terms of sample and data quality when compared to many other panels used in the UK for polling.

Generating zero-carbon electricity by 2030

The government has made a commitment to zero-carbon electricity generation in the UK by 2030.

• Three quarters (73%) of British adults think this is somewhat / very important that this target is achieved. One in five (21%) think this is not important or not at all important.
• However, very few are confident that this goal will be met. Only 8% are very / fairly confident, while 85% are not very / not at all confident, and 7% do not know.
• Most people (68%) think that the government and private sector should be equally responsible for the UK reaching zero-carbon electricity generation by 2030. While 15% think the government should be primarily responsible, and 7% think the private sector should be primarily responsible.

Support for new energy infrastructure being built

A challenge for the government in meeting this target is the potential for local opposition to the construction of new energy infrastructure.

However, our research indicates that most people would be supportive of new infrastructure close to their home:

• Three in five (63%) would support the construction of a new wind farm within a 10 minute drive of where they live. One in eight (13%) would oppose such a development, 19% would neither support nor oppose, and 4% do not know
• Two-thirds (68%) would support the construction of a new solar farm within a 10 minute drive of where they live. One in ten (10%) would oppose such a development, 18% would neither support nor oppose, and 4% do not know

Although, people are less supportive of pylons being built within sight of their home. A quarter (28%) would support this, a third oppose (36%), with the remainder neither supporting nor opposing (30%) or not having an opinion (4%).

Support increases slightly further if this would help reduce the cost of energy:

• 70% think that energy should cost as little as possible, even if it means infrastructure (wind farm, solar farm, pylons, etc.) are built close to where they live.

Although a minority remain against new infrastructure:

• 14% do not want energy infrastructure built close to where they live, even if this means energy is more expensive.

Reducing personal usage

The public generally agree that reducing their usage would be beneficial to the environment

• 62% agree/strongly agree that reducing their use of energy (electricity/gas) can make a meaningful difference to the environment
• 63% agree/strongly agree that reducing their use of water can make a meaningful difference to the environment

However, most people do not think utility companies are currently helping them to reduce their usage

• 19% agree/strongly agree their energy provider is helping them reduce their energy usage
• 17% agree/strongly agree their water provider is helping them reduce their water usage

As a result, many believe that utility companies should be doing more

• 52% agree/strongly agree their energy provider should be doing more to help them reduce their energy usage
• 50% agree/strongly agree their water provider should be doing more to help them reduce their water usage

Methodological information

A total of 1,258 interviews were conducted online among adults living in Great Britain between the evening of the 18th and 23rd September 2024. The survey data tables and further details on the methodological approach and weighting will be published on the Verian website  on 3rd October 2024.

Our sample was drawn from Verian’s random sample panel Public Voice. This panel is used extensively for social research commissioned by government, academic and third sector organisations, including those based in the US and Europe. Membership of this panel is restricted to those living in a controlled sample of UK addresses drawn from the Royal Mail’s master database. This restrictive method of panel-building is relatively expensive but will ordinarily provide benefits in terms of sample and data quality when compared with a panel that any adult resident in the UK can join. Although the short-period fieldwork web-only protocol used for this poll is much more limited than is typical for a social research survey, the demographic and political composition of the sample is only modestly degraded compared to what could be obtained using the full social research data collection protocol (two to three weeks using both web and telephone interview modes).
The data was weighted to match population totals for age, gender, 2024 General Election voting patterns, education, region, and likelihood to vote in the next General Election. 

Media enquiries

For further information on any of the data and findings from the report please contact Lois.Taylor@veriangroup.com or PressEnquiries@veriangroup.com 

Verian's expertise and track record for accurately reporting Election outcomes

Verian (formerly Kantar Public) has decades of experience in election monitoring, forecasting and reporting.  We are known for our exceptional track record, with the most accurate poll ahead of the 2024 general election. In addition, we were one of the only pollsters to correctly predict the 2016 EU referendum, having Leave ahead in our final poll. In 2019, we also correctly predicted the outcome of the general election and were within 1% point of the final vote shares for both the Conservative and Labour parties.

We are international leaders in election research and forecasting offering best-in-class expertise in election work around the world. We deliver some of the world's largest public opinion studies and are a renowned force in public opinion polling.