A staggering 98% of people in the UK believe the government will not reach its net zero, climate crisis targets. This is according to a survey of 5,000 people across the UK.
The public believe the UK won’t meet net zero by 2050
Electric heating manufacturer Fischer has conducted their 2024 Future Heat Survey reaching over 5,000 members of the public across the UK and discovered only 1.6% believe the government will hit its goal of reaching net zero by 2050.
14% of the UK’s carbon emissions come from domestic energy use, of which the majority comes from the use of fossil fuel heating systems. The UK has legally committed to reach net zero by 2050.
Fischer CEO Keith Bastian who commissioned the survey said:
It’s clear to see to see that the majority of the UK doubts the government’s approach to net zero. It’s evident that a change in tactic is needed in order to get the public back on board.
The end of boilers?
Fischer asked if there should be a complete ban on gas boilers. Just over half of respondents (50.4%) backed a complete ban.
Around eight million buildings will need to switch from gas boilers, which currently heat around nine in 10 English properties, to cleaner alternatives in order to reach net zero by 2050.
The UK originally planned to ban the installation of gas boilers in new-build homes by 2025 before completely phasing out the sale of new boilers by 2035.
What’s the cost?
Cost and suitability have been the main areas of concern in attempts to move away from fossil fuels.
Fischer asked ‘How much are you willing to pay for a low-carbon system?’ to which only 19.9% were open to spending between £1 and £2,000 and over half (52%) still said they weren’t willing to pay anything:
Only the younger generations aged between 18-44 were willing to spend between £1k-£6k to move away from fossil fuels (40%).
Keith Bastian added:
Consumers don’t want to be left in a worse position after making changes to their heating. Whether it is financial or the comfort and warmth levels, if they don’t believe the technology is right for their home, they won’t be interested.
What’s a heat pump?
Despite the government pushing heat pumps, it was revealed 18.6% of 45-54 year olds had never heard of heat pumps and in the North of England alone, 10% didn’t know what the technology was at all.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) was launched in 2022 and is key in the government’s plans for reducing carbon emissions.
When asked ‘Do you think heat pumps are the only solution to lowering emissions’ 87% of those surveyed disagreed
Designed to ease the initial cost of heat pumps, which are considerably higher than a gas boiler, the BUS has suffered from a low uptake. This could be attributed to the UK’s poorly insulated and ageing housing stock, rendering many properties unsuitable.
Keith Bastian believes further options are the only way forward for mass adoption.
It’s clear from the responses we’ve received that the public wants more choice in how they switch to low carbon heating, while heat pumps can be a part of the solution, there is no logic behind putting all our eggs in one basket when there is a range of heating options to consider.
Who is responsible for net zero?
When it came down to the question of who is responsible for combating climate change, 67% of respondents believed there is a dual responsibility on both the public and the government. The data revealed a call for further government financial support and incentives.
One respondent said:
Responsibility rests with science and governments to replace fossil fuels with reliable and cheaper electricity and to provide homeowners with financial support and expert advice/help to insulate their homes better and make them more energy efficient.
Financial support, expert advice and suitability remained as the key reasons why the public is hesitant to ditch fossil fuel heating with 73% citing this as a main concern:
63% of respondents were reluctant to upgrade to low carbon systems due to cost and lack of financial incentives with a further 30% worried about the lack of suitability with heat pumps.
The data revealed an appetite for a slower transition to renewables, with a hybrid heating system proving popular among younger people. 42% of 18-44 year olds are willing to use both gas and low carbon technology in unison until they’re able to fully transition to renewable heating technology.
Trouble in the North?
Fischer’s survey uncovered regional divides ranging from having an understanding of net zero to disparity on cost.
Those in the north were revealed as having reduced familiarity with the term ‘net zero’, along with bigger concerns about the cost of upgrading to low-carbon heating systems:
Participants were asked ‘Do you understand the term net zero?”. 41% in the North admitted to not having a complete understanding of the term compared to 38% in the South.
The level of knowledge participants had regarding net zero appears to have had a knock-on effect when it comes to those feeling directly impacted by climate change.
The North was less likely to feel affected (38%) and more concerned about the cost of upgrading to a low-carbon system (25%) compared to those in the South (9%).
The North did have fewer worries about the suitability of low-carbon systems and the willingness to consider hybrid systems was higher with 23% considering the option.
One participant surveyed in the north commented:
A hybrid system, either of all electric systems or a combination of electric and gas is something to consider, if the initial costs aren’t too high and green gas was being used.
For those in Scotland and Wales, 25% weren’t interested in switching to any low carbon technology at all.
Featured image via the Canary
