2 IN 3 BRITS CONFUSED BY NET ZERO JARGON, SAYS NEW REPORT

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  Posted by: electime      12th July 2024

A sample of over 3,000 people from across the UK, Germany and Netherlands found:

  • Understanding of the term ‘net zero’ is higher in the UK (87%) than in Germany(61%) and Netherlands (53%)
  • But 2 in 3 Brits still don’t know what actions they need to take to reach ambitious 2050 targets
  • 1 in 3 say they will never consider a boiler replacement, despite changes to people’s heating systems being one of the biggest challenges we face
  • 74% say they don’t see a clear vision and experts warn it’s time for action

Major new research, commissioned by Cadent and released during Net Zero Week 2024, found cost remains the most important factor when it comes to making sustainable choices, with 64 per cent of UK households saying they will only make changes if it saves money.

But it also highlights a deeper resistance to making high-impact changes, which could affect the UK’s ability to meet its climate change commitments. While the UK scores higher than its neighbours when it comes to net zero awareness, the British public are 18 per cent less likely to switch to energy-efficient appliances than their European counterparts.

What’s more, the majority of changes being made by UK consumers are low-impact including recycling (72%) and reducing food waste (65%). Far fewer of the bigger, more transformational changes are reported, with just 22 per cent making boiler replacements and 15 per cent moving to an electric vehicle.

The research states policies should consider individual circumstances and address cost barriers to ensure inclusivity but adds strong leadership, supported by clear messaging are necessary in creating lasting change. The team of experts leading the study concluded the term ‘net zero’ is “too broad, too vague and doesn’t unite consumers”.

Mark Belmega, Director of Social Purpose and Sustainability at Cadent, said: “The report’s findings are clear – financial support is vital and we have long been advocating for better support for our customers, particularly those on low incomes, to bring them on the journey towards net zero with us.

“The majority of people said they don’t see a clear vision for how the UK will achieve net zero, which confirms that strong leadership, collaboration and a powerful strategy are all desperately needed, with government and businesses having a critical role to play – but we must also look at the whole system.

“Collectively, we should be questioning why the term ‘net zero’ is proving unhelpful when it comes to creating sustainable change. Simply promoting the phrase isn’t enough. We need to be going much further with educating and informing the British people about, the crucial role they have to play to help decarbonise industries such as ours, and also highlight the positive impacts that they can have.

“At Cadent, we’re already working with over 300 partners to invest in a vision for the energy system. Whilst biomethane, hydrogen and hybrid solutions will provide customers with more choice, gas and electricity will still need to co-exist for some time and it’s imperative we work together to reduce consumption.

“Ultimately, it remains crunch time for the UK if we are to meet the ambitious targets that have been set and therefore, collectively, businesses and the government have a lot of work to do in the coming years to ensure a successful energy transition.”