The public don’t understand net zero – it’s time for new arguments
Widespread uncertainty about the costs and implementation of net zero risks undermining support for climate action. Effective communication can shift opinions, says Sir Craig Oliver
In the face of a rising tide of anti-net zero rhetoric, the battle over climate and energy policy in the UK has never been fiercer. The current arguments being made for net zero aren’t working. It’s time for a new approach.
The public continue to back net zero, but their support is intensely fragile. In a recent FGS Global study, we found that supporters outnumber opponents of climate action by 26 per cent but one in three voters now doubt the climate science.
Widespread uncertainty over the issues makes significant shifts in public opinion more likely – and tougher for those fighting for progress on the transition to win. There is a clear misunderstanding as to what the energy transition will mean for bills, jobs and growth. These misunderstandings are quickly transforming into concrete myths.
One key battleground is cost. Our study found that people wildly overestimate how much achieving net zero by 2050 will cost us – on average predicting that it will be 28 per cent of the UK’s GDP versus the Climate Change Committee’s 0.2 per cent forecast – that’s a difference of 14,000 per cent.
Cost of living concerns
Cost of living concerns are biting, and while net zero may be associated with higher bills, our research shows that 49 per cent of the public say it’s worth paying more to support the renewables build out now, if it brings down costs in future.
But beyond bills, people remain confused about the broader benefits that net zero will bring for them. While renewable energy jobs are in theory attractive, with 60 per cent of the public seeing jobs in sectors such as solar and wind as appealing, fewer than one in three believe that these jobs will actually appear. Only one in five think that net zero will benefit the economy.
People wildly overestimate how much achieving net zero by 2050 will cost us – on average predicting that it will be 28 per cent of the UK’s GDP versus the Climate Change Committee’s 0.2 per cent forecast – that’s a difference of 14,000 per cent
At the same time, in a world with increasing global tensions, energy security now rivals affordability for the public. A majority (57 per cent) prioritize having a secure and reliable energy supply compared to 54 per cent who say keeping bills low is a priority.
Boosting oil and gas imports is a deeply unpopular proposition.
The public want the gap in our energy supply created by declining North Sea production to be filled by domestically-produced renewable energy. A mere five per cent said they wanted more fossil fuel imports. Home-grown energy is seen as far more important than simply securing the cheapest energy source.
Our research shows that the fight for net zero can be won – but it needs fresh language, new arguments and different advocates to build stronger coalitions of support.
Effective communication can shift opinions dramatically. Subtle changes in language and framing, particularly around the economic and security benefits of renewable energy, can have a huge impact. Getting the argument on costs right can boost public support for net zero by up to 20 per cent alone.
The message is clear: to secure public buy-in and unlock the investment needed for the energy transition – and by extension the UK’s energy security – we must rethink how we talk about it. Industry leaders and policymakers need to fight misconceptions and misinformation while telling more credible stories about job creation, energy security and long term cost savings.
Of course it takes more than facts and myth-busting to change people’s minds. Climate activists will need to rethink the tactics and tones of voice that have deterred sections of the public from supporting net zero policy.
The energy transition is not just an environmental imperative; it’s a once-in-a-generation economic and geopolitical opportunity. A fresh approach to communications can help us seize it.
Sir Craig Oliver is partner and global co-head of strategy & reputation at FGS Global