Majority want faster climate change effort

MORE than half of people support efforts to cut the UK’S greenhouse gases to net zero by 2030.

A survey of more than 1,600 people by Yougov found support for significantly bringing forward the current target to end the UK’S contribution to climate change by 2050.

Almost a third (32 per cent) supported the Government aiming for a 2025 date for net zero – which would see efforts to significantly lower emissions and offset remaining pollution by planting trees or using technology to capture carbon.

And nearly a quarter (24pc) backed a 2030 target, so that overall 56pc of respondents wanted to see the country reach net zero by the end of the next decade.

The UK upped its target to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, compared with the previous goal of an 80pc reduction from 1990 levels, after the tougher ambition was recommended by the Government’s advisory Committee on Climate Change.

There have been calls to aim for an earlier date, with Extinction Rebellion protesters demanding emissions fall to zero by 2025, and Labour agreed a net zero target for 2030 at its party conference in September.

But the UK is currently off track to hit existing targets and concerns have been raised about how a more ambitious goal would be met.