The environment has become Britain’s number one issue, overtaking other major concerns including Covid, the economy and Brexit, according to Ipsos Mori.
In the same month that global leaders gathered in Glasgow for what many consider to be failed negotiations on climate change, 40 per cent of voters said that the environment, pollution or climate change was among their top three biggest issues – its highest ever score – whereas just 27 per cent chose the pandemic. This is a sharp reversal from the last 18 months, during which the pandemic occupied the prime spot. It is also only the third time the environment has topped the poll of voter concerns since 1988.
When asked to select their single most important issue, the most popular option was also the environment, with 21 per cent voters selecting this over Covid, which took 13 per cent of votes.
The poll found that climate change was the top concern across all demographics in November – even those typically less concerned with the environment. Forty seven per cent of voters over 55 years old selected it as one of their top three issues, as did 40 per cent of Conservative voters.
[see also: How the Republican Party is awakening to the reality of the climate crisis]
Leo Barasi, former pollster and author of The Climate Majority, said: “This is a remarkable turnaround in public opinion. Four years ago the environment wasn't even a top-15 issue with the public, with only 7 per cent naming it as a top priority. Since then we've had a string of heatwaves and floods, UN science reports and mass public protests – and opinion has changed dramatically.”
Colin Malaney, head of UK programmes at the Conservative Environment Network, added: “The Prime Minister should be confident that he has the strong backing of the public, including Conservative voters, to press on with the policies needed to reach net zero.”
[see also: Cop26 was a failure but the shows of solidarity around Glasgow are cause for hope]
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