As ecosystems collapse, we’re caring less about the environment
UK attitudes suggest climate concern and trust in green energy are in decline at a time when we need more awareness, urgency and action.
According to the Office or National Statistics [ONS], over-18s in Britain have actually lost interest in climate change and the environment over the past 12 months. This is despite the fact 2024 is on track to be the hottest year on record globally, and British communities enduring 12 major named storms causing billions in damage to property and loss of life.
ONS figures show that just 57% of UK adults considered climate change to be ‘an important issue’. This is down from 69% in the same period last year. The proportion of businesses that see this threat as a cause for concern had also fallen, from 34% in June to 28% by October 2024. Meanwhile, when asked which specific climate-related risks needed to be addressed most, the majority answered supply chain disruption, rather than coastal erosion, increased flooding, temperature increase and water scarcity.
‘While we have seen a downtick over the past couple of years in the proportion of those concerned about climate change, this is more likely to be related to be issues such as the cost-of-living rather than a continued trend. The majority of adults are still taking some action in their daily lives to help support the environment and recent extreme weather events are likely to be a further reminder of how we may be impacted in the future,’ said Diane Crowe, Group Sustainability Director at international circular economy specialists, Reconomy.
‘For businesses, the data uncovered a noticeable decline in concern as well as a lack of risk assessment around how climate change could impact their business models,’ she continued. ‘Again, the difficult macroeconomic situation is likely to be absorbing capacity hence why the largest businesses seem best placed to continue their climate change preparations in the meanwhile. Getting ahead of the game to futureproof operations will be critical for future success and we expect this to accelerate when economic conditions allow.’
New data revealed last week also points to low levels of trust in the benefits of green energy among British consumers. Trust Alliance Group has published a study looking at the proportion of UK resident that feel ‘very confident’ in low carbon heating and insulation, and found that just one-on-10 believes in these solutions. More than one-third said they would have more trust if the Government introduced a regulatory body to oversee and guarantee standards.
Price and access were the biggest barriers to confidence, followed by complications around warranties and guarantees, and difficulties finding qualified installers. However, awareness of available products was high in some cases. 85% of consumers knew about solar panels to some extent, and 80% had knowledge of home insulation. In comparison, 65% were unaware of biomass boilers, and 52% had a poor understanding of ground source heat pumps.
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Image: Tim Mossholder