E.ON has published the findings of a new survey exploring the attitudes and ambitions of 20,000 adults around the UK, which it says reveals the UK lacks pride in local efforts towards net zero and people wanting more of a voice in delivering the changes needed to combat the climate crisis.
The survey found only a quarter of UK adults (25%) feel proud of the work that UK communities and businesses are doing to invest in green initiatives – and fewer than one in ten (7%) say they feel listened to when it comes to decision making on local green investments.
E.ON survey shows making homes greener and cheaper to run is the public’s number one priority. Nearly 10 million UK adults say they’re ‘prepared to move’ if their home town doesn’t go greener in the next five years and five million ‘could quit their job’ if their employer doesn’t become greener in the next decade.
A bigger conversation undoubtedly leads to swifter and more impactful action.
E.ON is an official partner of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games – which aims to be the first Games with a carbon-neutral legacy – and commissioned the nationwide survey to explore the nation’s attitudes to finding ways of taking action for the climate.
The survey found adults in the UK are keen to play a far greater role in creating more sustainable cities, with eight out of ten (79%) saying they believe that by working together people can change the world for the better. Allied to that, three in five (59%) want more of a say in how taxpayers’ money is invested in green initiatives for businesses and communities.
E.ON says much of the desire for change is driven by taking action to protect future generations, with three quarters of UK adults (76%) agreeing that communities and businesses need to become greener for the benefit of their children and their children’s children.
Too many people don’t feel listened to or say they aren’t playing a big enough part in decision making.
Despite the concern shown by members of the British public – and the fact that 49% do not think Great Britain is doing enough to reduce carbon emissions and make life greener in the UK – 79% believe that if people work together, they can change the world for the better.
Chief Executive of E.ON UK, Michael Lewis, said: “Conversations about lowering carbon emissions often focus on changes individual families can make, but there’s so much more we can all do to take action for climate and drive changes in public spaces, across communities and even in our workplaces.
“A bigger conversation undoubtedly leads to swifter and more impactful action and cities can help lead the charge on behalf of thousands, even millions of people.
“Too many people don’t feel listened to or say they aren’t playing a big enough part in decision making when it comes to green investments in their communities, which may be an uncomfortable truth for local leaders and businesses.
“However, the positive news is there’s immense interest and passion among people in helping to make their communities and workplaces cleaner and greener and we should all look to harness that commitment where we can.”