No, the Public Hasn’t Turned Against Net Zero—They Were Never Properly Asked

In a recent Guardian article, the authors declare: “Politicians are retreating from net zero because they think the public doesn’t care. But they’re wrong.” (source). They argue that the political class has misread public opinion on climate action, and that polling shows strong, quiet support for ambitious environmental policy.

But this argument—however well-intentioned—is built on flawed assumptions and elite condescension.

1. Yes, politicians are reading the room—and they’re right

The article claims: “Voters are more ambitious and thoughtful than they are given credit for.” But this sentiment misses the point. The issue isn’t whether voters are ambitious—it’s whether climate action is their priority. According to YouGov, climate change consistently ranks below the cost of living, the NHS, housing, and immigration. In other words, voters do care—but they care more about making it through the month.

Politicians aren’t misreading the public mood. They’re responding to it.

2. Polling doesn’t equal consent for disruption

The article notes that “clear majorities support renewable energy and want to see more done to tackle the crisis.” That may be true in the abstract. But these polls don’t test cost. There’s a big difference between supporting the idea of renewables and agreeing to have a wind farm at the end of your street—or to pay 30% more on your electricity bill.

Broad support for vague goals does not translate into a mandate for local disruption or personal sacrifice. Pretending otherwise is politically naïve and intellectually dishonest.

3. The public isn’t confused. It’s unconvinced

According to the authors, “it is a misreading of the public mood to suggest that voters don’t want to take action.” But this assumes public hesitation is a communication problem. It’s not. People understand what’s being proposed. They’ve seen green levies, low-traffic neighbourhoods, and planning battles over solar farms. They know the cost—and many aren’t buying it.

The push for net zero is increasingly seen not as a common-good initiative but as a project that makes life harder for ordinary people while signalling virtue for elites.

4. Citizen assemblies won’t fix a consent problem

The piece suggests we need “more direct, deliberative and participatory forms of democracy, from citizens’ assemblies to local decision-making.” In theory, that sounds great. In practice, it’s a technocratic workaround to bypass public resistance.

The public is already participating—through elections, protests, petitions and polls. They’re just not giving the answers campaigners want. Inviting people into citizen panels until they change their mind isn’t democracy. It’s narrative management.

5. Democracy means listening—even when it’s inconvenient

The authors say “we can’t build momentum for action by ignoring or marginalising people.” Yet this is exactly what happens when voters express legitimate concerns about net zero’s impact on jobs, prices, and freedoms. They’re dismissed as misinformed or selfish.

But democracy means accepting that people may understand and still disagree. You can’t ask for more public input while rejecting what the public is already saying.

6. The real courage is admitting climate policy isn’t cost-free

The article ends by calling for “courage to match the clarity of the evidence.” But the real courage in politics today is to say what most people already know: they want a cleaner environment and accept that humans affect the climate—but they don’t see it as an emergency (because it isn’t), and they don’t want to wreck the economy over it.

Especially not when the UK produces less than 2% of global CO₂. And especially not when global net-zero logic demands that some of the poorest nations stay poor to keep the carbon books balanced.

We need a better climate conversation—one that respects public priorities, acknowledges trade-offs, and doesn’t assume consent where there is only fatigue. Let politicians show true courage: not by pushing harder, but by listening better.

Original article: Politicians are retreating from net zero because they think the public doesn’t care. But they’re wrong – The Guardian, 7 July 2025