91% of UK public aware of Net Zero 2050 goal, but key knowledge gaps could hinder progress

Article written by Tim Mooney

91 per cent of the UK public are aware of the 2050 Net Zero target, but knowledge gaps in sustainability and environmental issues are still prevalent.

The Public Attitudes Tracker by the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) conducts quarterly surveys of UK adults to gauge the awareness, attitudes and behaviours of the public relating to energy and climate change policies.

What the results tell us is that awareness is generally high, but knowledge regarding key net zero and climate change topics is lacking which could be slowing collective environmental progress, raising the question, how important is public attitude when it comes to delivering progress?

Plugging the knowledge gaps

When presented with a list of climate change topics, the most common topic respondents wanted to know more about was reducing energy consumption at home (48 per cent), choosing environmentally friendly products (43 per cent), and choosing green financial products (27 per cent).

In addition, 83 per cent of survey respondents said they monitor their energy use, primarily through use of smart meters and their energy bills, an awareness level that will have contributed to public demand for knowledge regarding home energy use.

According to the Climate Change Committee, roughly 40 per cent of UK emissions come from households, meaning educating the public on how to effectively reduce energy consumption at home should be a core area of focus for the UK government as it drives for net zero.

The same can be said for businesses. Investing in the innovation of new green technologies is not going to have as promising an outcome if businesses and households are unaware of the fundamental steps that should be taken to cut their emissions and energy use day-to-day, such as using lighting and heating controls, switching to LED bulbs, updating older and less efficient machinery, and carbon footprinting to identify problem areas.

“Most of our installers find themselves giving clients advice on energy efficiency before they begin installing solar panels, heat pumps, and other green technologies,” explains Thalia Czarkowska, Green Technologies & Services Consultant at Green Economy. “A lot of businesses begin exploring these technologies before they’ve done the necessary groundwork.”

“By better understanding how to manage your site’s energy use and consumption, you can more accurately identify the right green technology for you, maximise its benefits, and see faster returns on investment.”

Renewable energy

While knowledge may be lacking, behaviour analysis from the DESNZ survey indicate support for key climate change technologies. 82 per cent of people supported the use of renewable energy (a slight decline from 84 per cent compared to the summer 2024 census).

The survey also reveals public attitudes towards renewable energy infrastructure. When asked what information was important to them during the planning phase of new electricity network projects, impact on energy bills was rated the most important information, selected by 49 per cent, followed by 43 per cent citing impact on plant and animal life, and 40 per cent for its visual impact on landscapes.

This tells us that when delivering green technology and environmental projects with infrastructure requirements, the public are slightly more interested in the cost impacts than they are in the physical impacts. This marks significant progress and a step away from the trite debate about aesthetics when it comes to developing wind and solar farms.

Overall, the survey clearly implies that the public are highly tuned in to their energy use at home and responsive to government policies and proposals which have an impact on this. As energy security concerns continue to impact countries, the public are tuning in to greener solutions that will help them save at home.

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