Poll: Net zero not reachable by 2050

British public sceptical of green goal, oppose ban on abortion and want to maintain the monarchy

THE UK will not achieve net zero by 2050 even though it is a legal commitment, a majority of the public believe.

Researchers confirmed public concerns about climate change, but strong scepticism that the UK could achieve carbon neutrality in under 30 years.

The findings came in a poll covering attitudes on everything from the death penalty and cannabis to Covid’s origins and abortion. It found that 54 per cent believe net zero is “unachievable” by 2050, as against 14 per cent who think it achievable. A third (32 per cent) were undecided or did not know, according to the survey of 2,000 people by Electoral Calculus and Find Out Now.

In almost a mirror image of the net zero data, more than half (53 per cent) believed climate change is catastrophic for humankind, against 17 per cent who thought it was not, according to the poll for The Property Chronicle.

The climate was one of six issues that elicited majority opinions of more than 50 per cent. The poll showed backing for euthanasia with 63 per cent calling for legalisation, compared with 13 per cent who opposed change.

Three-quarters of the public (77 per cent) opposed a ban on abortion, against just seven per cent in favour, while a huge 79 per cent disagreed with the proposition that the NHS had failed.

On the economy, more than half (56 per cent) backed lower house prices. There was a two-to-one majority for lower taxes and spending, 46 per cent in favour to 21 per cent against, a figure reflecting unity on the Right.

Conversely, the Left scored a similar majority of 41 per cent to 14 per cent for nationalising utilities.

The public veered closer to the stand of JK Rowling on transgender issues than Nicola Sturgeon. Nearly half (47 per cent) said transgender women were not the same in all respects as biological women, versus 24 per cent who disagreed, a judgment that effectively supported separate single sex spaces.

While 28 per cent supported a revolution in society, there was still strong backing for the monarchy. Only 23 per cent supported abolition, compared with 55 per cent opposed. More than a third believed the House of Lords should be elected, with 19 per cent against.

There was a majority in favour of legalising cannabis, with 43 per cent in favour versus 29 per cent against.

A majority also backed Tory party vice-chairman Lee Anderson’s view on the death penalty, with 46 per cent wanting it reinstated and 34 per cent against.

More than a third (35 per cent) believed Covid emanated from a Chinese lab, compared with 21 per cent who were confident it did not. One in five (19 per cent) believe there will probably be war with China soon. A quarter (24 per cent) supported sending UK troops to Ukraine to help their forces against Russia, although 40 per cent disagreed with the idea.

Martin Baxter, of Electoral Calculus, said: “For those on the Right, their challenges are to gently deflate house prices, cut taxes and spending, and to boost support for capitalism.