Whose energy transition is it anyway? The case of clean heat

KEY POINTS

• The British public largely supports the net zero target. However, this support has not translated into significant behavioral changes, with skepticism about the feasibility of achieving net zero by 2050.
• Recent protests Germany and other parts of Europe illustrate the importance of consistent policy, communication, and financial incentives in gaining public support for low-carbon heating solutions – to avoid a ‘greenlash’.
• There is a risk of stronger greenlash in the UK. Nearly half of the population feels the net zero transition is being imposed on them rather than something they are actively part of. Trust in government efforts to involve the public is low, with many feeling uninformed about the changes required.
• Examining attitudes towards heat pumps, SMF’s survey of 1,500 UK homeowners found that a substantial 42% do not know where to find reliable information on heat pumps, and only 30% feel confident in their knowledge.
• Independent advice is lacking, with focus group participants expressing distrust in information sources that they perceive as biased or agenda-driven. Only 14% of respondents said they trust government guidance on heat pumps.

In his foreword to the report, Luke Murphy MP said: In the face of the climate emergency, charting a course to net zero is one of the greatest challenges the UK has ever faced.

RECOMMENDATIONS 

• Government should urgently design and deliver a net zero public engagement strategy, in which heat pumps should be a central focus.
• Government needs to actively work to combat heat pump misinformation.
• Government should role model the installation and use of heat pumps by publicising their use in public buildings, like GP surgeries, schools and libraries to build trust in the effectiveness of the technology.
• Government should use existing trusted messengers and information sources to build trust in heat pumps.
• Government needs to make sure heat pumps are a financially viable option