Support for the energy transition: new inquiry opens oral evidence
The Government has set out its intention to transition the UK to clean energy through its Clean Power 2030 Action Plan. But to make the big decisions on energy policy—changing the way energy is generated and used in the UK—the Government will need to bring the public with them.
While public support for renewables remains strong, driven by widespread concern about climate change and energy security, vocal opposition to ‘net zero’—which includes the energy transition—has grown. Since the Climate Change Act 2008 and the subsequent enshrining of the 2050 net zero target in law, political consensus and the will to see it through have become increasingly fractured.
Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and its impact on energy costs laid bare the price of dependence on gas. Polling consistently shows broad public concern about climate change—at times even exceeding concern over affordable housing.
But how does this translate into support for the energy transition, a key part of the mission to address climate change? And how do concerns about energy security affect public backing for this transition?
Meeting details
On Wednesday 18 June, the Energy Security and Net Zero (ESNZ) Committee will hold its first public evidence session in this new inquiry, examining current levels of public understanding and support for the clean energy transition. The session will also consider how these have changed over time, and how approaches differ across the nations of the UK in tackling what is widely seen as a generational challenge.
Experts from polling organisations and academia will provide insight into demographic and geographic differences in public support, and assess levels of public understanding and awareness of net zero policies. The Committee will also examine how people access and respond to the information they receive—across multiple sources and platforms—about energy and climate change.
In particular, the Committee will explore messaging around the energy transition:
- How does it resonate across different parts of the UK?
- How do the devolved administrations communicate the transition and its implications for consumers, households, and businesses?
- And how does this interact with messaging from the UK Government?Do the nations of the UK have differing approaches to public participation and engagement—and how effective are they?