Climate Change Polling 2026
61% of UK voters back net zero by 2050 — but party lines are sharply divided. Reform UK voters oppose net zero by 71% to 18%. Green voters are the strongest climate supporters at 89%. Nuclear has the broadest cross-partisan support of any specific climate measure.
Net Zero Support — Overall & by Party
The UK’s net zero target — to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 — retains majority public support, with 61% of voters backing it in 2026 polling (YouGov / Ipsos average). However, this overall figure masks a deep partisan divide: Green, Labour and Liberal Democrat voters are overwhelmingly in favour, while Reform UK voters are strongly opposed.
Reform UK has made scepticism toward net zero policy a central part of its platform, arguing that energy costs are too high and that climate targets harm British industry. This resonates strongly with its voter base: 71% of Reform voters oppose net zero, compared to just 18% who support it. The political polarisation on climate has intensified as energy bills remain elevated and the cost of the green transition has attracted more scrutiny.
Key climate polling data — 2026
- 61% support net zero by 2050 — YouGov/Ipsos average, 2026
- 22% oppose net zero; 17% don’t know
- 86% accept climate change is real and serious
- 71% of Reform UK voters oppose net zero
- 89% of Green voters support net zero
- 74% of Labour voters support net zero
- 67% of Lib Dem voters support net zero
- Conservative voters split roughly 54% for / 32% against net zero
Climate Policy Polling: Policy by Policy
Beyond the net zero headline, polling on specific climate policies reveals important nuances. Voters broadly support renewable energy investment but are more divided on policies with direct household cost implications. The critical insight: voters support the destination (net zero) more than the specific taxes and levies used to fund the journey.
| Policy | Support | Oppose | Key split |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expand onshore wind energy | 72% | 17% | Greens 94%, Labour 81%, Reform 39% |
| Expand solar energy (rooftop & farm) | 68% | 18% | Broad cross-partisan support |
| Build new nuclear power stations | 57% | 23% | Greens 48%, Reform 64%, Con 72% |
| Net zero 2050 target overall | 61% | 22% | Core measure; partisan divide as above |
| Insulate all homes by 2030 | 59% | 24% | Popular in principle; disputed on cost/speed |
| Ban new petrol/diesel cars by 2035 | 44% | 42% | Evenly split; Reform 18% support |
| Frequent flyer tax on aviation | 41% | 44% | Narrowly opposed; young voters more supportive |
| Green levy on energy bills (renewable fund) | 38% | 52% | Most unpopular; cost-of-living context key |
| Road pricing per mile driven | 31% | 57% | Broadly unpopular; Reform voters 8% support |
YouGov/Ipsos composite, May 2026.
Who Should Pay for the Green Transition?
YouGov, June 2026. Q: “Who should bear the primary financial cost of transitioning to net zero?” Single response. Note: 52% simultaneously oppose green levies on energy bills — suggesting voters want corporations to pay, not households.
Nuclear Energy: The Exception to the Climate Divide
Nuclear power is the issue where climate opinion cuts across usual party lines. Even a plurality of Green voters (48%) now support new nuclear — up from 29% in 2019 — driven by the urgency of decarbonisation. Reform UK voters (64%) and Conservative voters (72%) are the most pro-nuclear demographics, giving nuclear unusually broad cross-partisan backing.
Net Zero Support by Party
% supporting net zero by 2050. YouGov, 2026.
Reform UK voters: 71% oppose
Uniquely among major parties, Reform UK’s voter base is majority-opposed to net zero (71% against, 18% for). This is central to the party’s energy and industrial policy platform.
Climate salience: who cares most?
- Green voters: 90% cite climate as top issue
- 18–24 year olds: 71% top-three issue
- Labour voters: 41% cite climate in top three
- Con voters: 24% top-three issue
- Reform voters: 11% top-three issue
- Over-65s: 28% name climate in top three
YouGov, June 2026. Climate salience is heavily concentrated in younger, graduate, and left-leaning voters.
Climate Attitudes by Age: The Generation Gap
The age gap on climate is one of the most consistent findings in UK polling. Younger voters are significantly more likely to prioritise climate action and to vote based on it. This demographic gradient is partly driving the Green surge — and will shape UK climate politics for decades.
| Age group | Net zero support | Climate top issue | Green VI | Key driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18–24 | 74% | 71% | 20% | Most climate-urgent cohort; TikTok activism, extinction anxiety |
| 25–34 | 71% | 64% | 22% | Highest Green VI; climate + housing drive Labour defection |
| 35–44 | 65% | 55% | 16% | Significant but other issues (children, mortgage) competing |
| 45–54 | 58% | 44% | 12% | Concerned but cost implications weigh more |
| 55–64 | 51% | 38% | 9% | Climate concern declining; economic issues dominant |
| 65+ | 43% | 28% | 5% | Lowest support for green policies; highest opposition to levies |
Source: YouGov/Ipsos composite, May 2026.
Explore More
Green Party Polling
How the Greens have risen from 6.7% in 2024 to 15% in 2026 — driven by climate concern among under-40 Labour defectors.
Reform UK Polling
Reform UK’s 28% support — who these voters are and why 71% of them oppose net zero targets.
Young Voter Polling
61% of 18–34s prioritise climate. The second biggest issue for young voters and the Green Party’s key recruiting ground.
Economy Polling
The trade-off between climate action and economic cost — how the cost of living crisis is shaping green policy support.
Energy Polling
Energy bills, Ofgem, North Sea oil and the politics of the energy transition. Full polling on energy sources and prices.
All Topics
Browse all polling topic deep-dives — NHS, immigration, defence, economy and more.
Do most UK voters support net zero?
Yes. 61% of UK adults support the net zero 2050 target, with 22% opposed and 17% undecided. Support has remained broadly stable despite cost of living pressures. 86% accept that climate change is real and serious. The key tension is between supporting the destination (net zero) and opposing the specific mechanisms used to fund the journey (green levies, car bans). Green Party polling →
Why do Reform UK voters oppose net zero?
71% of Reform UK voters oppose net zero, driven by concerns about energy costs, a sceptical view of climate policy, and Reform’s messaging that the transition harms British industry and working-class households. Reform has made scrapping net zero targets a flagship policy. This contrasts with the 89% of Green voters who support it — creating the sharpest partisan divide on any climate measure. Reform UK polling →
Which climate policies are most and least popular?
Most popular: expanding onshore wind (72%), solar (68%), and building new nuclear (57%). Least popular: the green levy on energy bills (38% support), road pricing per mile (31%), and frequent flyer tax (41%). The pattern is consistent: voters support investment in clean energy production but resist paying for it through bills, taxes or restrictions on their daily lives. Cost of living polling →
Do younger voters care more about climate?
Significantly more. 71% of 18–24 year olds name climate as a top-three issue, compared to 28% of over-65s. Green VI is 22% among 25–34s versus 5% among over-65s. This age gap is the steepest of any issue in UK polling and is the primary driver of the Green Party’s youth surge since 2024. Young voter polling →
What does polling show about nuclear energy in the UK?
57% of UK adults support building new nuclear power stations, with only 23% opposed. This is one of the most cross-partisan findings in climate polling: even 48% of Green voters now support nuclear (up from 29% in 2019), and 64% of Reform UK voters also back it. Nuclear is the specific climate policy with the broadest support across partisan lines.
Who do voters think should pay for the green transition?
65% say large corporations and fossil fuel companies should bear the primary cost. Only 12% say individual households should pay. Yet 52% simultaneously oppose the green levy on energy bills — the mechanism used to fund renewables. This contradiction reflects genuine voter frustration: support for the principle of making polluters pay, but resistance to any mechanism that raises household energy costs in a cost-of-living crisis. Economy polling →