The research, from the report Declining urgency, enduring support, found that 29% of the UK public believed that the country should achieve net zero before the government’s stated target of 2050, down from 54% in 2021.

The proportion of the population who feel the UK either does not need to reach net zero or should not have a net zero target has risen from 9% to 26% over the same period.

However, 64% believed the government’s target for net zero should remain in place.

The public are more inclined to see tension between climate change sceptics and believers ( 64%) than between Leave and Remain voters ( 52%), different generations ( 45%), or men and women ( 32%), according to the study.

The research also said that 44% said they would be more likely to vote for a political party committed to strong climate action, even if this led to higher energy costs and required greater investment – down from 52% in 2024. 

Reform voters in the 2024 general election were the only group without a majority in favour of meeting net zero by 2050, with less than half also saying they are worried about climate change and with the group being least likely of those surveyed to support a range of climate policies.

In addition, 38% of people said they supported low-traffic neighbourhoods, down from 43% in 2024 and 50% in 2021. The level of opposition to low-traffic neighbourhoods stood at 37% of respondents.

The research is based on a representative survey of 4,027 people carried out in August 2025 using Ipsos’ UK online random probability KnowledgePanel.

Professor Bobby Duffy, director of the Policy Institute at King’s College London, said: “What’s changed is the urgency people feel and their willingness to support policies that might affect their daily lives or finances.

“This shift has happened as climate policy has become increasingly caught up in wider culture war debates – to the extent that the public are now more likely to see tension between climate sceptics and believers than between Leave and Remain voters or different generations.”

Gideon Skinner, senior director of UK politics at Ipsos, said: “While the balance of opinion remains in favour of action on climate change, and most are worried about it, it is not seen as urgent a priority as it once was a few years ago, as other issues such as inflation, the economy, the NHS, and immigration have dominated the public’s daily concerns.  

“Climate change is also beginning to be seen as an emerging source of tension. Support tends to have fallen most among older people, while younger people have remained more steady in their political support for climate action, and Reform UK voters often have much more sceptical views on net zero than supporters of other parties.”

Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh, director of the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations and environmental psychologist, added: “This new data shows the UK public are still worried about climate change and most want the UK to cut emissions to net zero by 2050 or sooner.

“But with the cost-of-living crisis still biting, climate concern and policy support has dropped – highlighting the importance of action to reduce costs of climate action to households.”