Green policy backlash a “myth”: Report blames ELITES IN POLITICS AND MEDIA for stoking division and lies
Report claims “net zero backlash” has been wildly exaggerated, with politicians and the media fuelling public anger that may not even exist, despite most Britons still backing climate action
Suggestions of a “net zero backlash” and populist revolt against green policies may be little more than a myth fuelled by elites in politics and the media. That’s the conclusion of a study by the Institute for Public Policy Research that claims the British public is being misled into thinking climate action is deeply unpopular, when in reality support remains strong.
Researchers found that around 60 per cent of voters back the UK’s 2050 net zero target, despite a growing chorus of political voices warning of a voter revolt. Yet the report lays the blame squarely at the feet of Westminster and the media, accusing both of amplifying a false narrative of public anger.
Politicians under fire
In a stark warning, the think tank said claims of a backlash are “overstated”, with “political division among elites and distorted media narratives” posing the real threat to climate progress. The findings will alarm ministers already jittery about the rising popularity of insurgent parties and mounting pressure over the cost of living.
Crucially, the research found climate policy is barely registering as a reason for voters switching sides. Just 4 per cent of Labour-to-Reform defectors cited net zero as a factor in their decision.
Instead, the report points to a widening gulf between what the public actually thinks and what politicians believe they think. Conservative MPs, it found, are underestimating support for net zero by around 18 percentage points, suggesting a dramatic misreading of the national mood.
Media under fire
The media also comes under heavy fire. Analysis revealed that online news coverage of net zero in 2025 was more than two and a half times as negative as public sentiment. That relentless negativity, researchers warn, risks creating a dangerous echo chamber in which politicians react to a backlash that does not truly exist.
Becca Massey-Chase, one of the report’s authors, said: “Claims of a voter backlash against net zero have taken hold in Westminster, but the evidence shows they are largely a political myth.” She added: “The British public continues to support climate action, and politicians risk fighting the wrong battle if they assume otherwise.”
Her colleague Sam Alvis delivered an equally stark message, warning that some figures are actively undermining public support. He said: “Some politicians are deliberately trying to undermine public support for climate action.”
People want climate action
Despite the political noise, the report insists voters remain concerned about the impact of climate change on their lives and their children’s futures. But with living costs biting, climate has slipped down the list of immediate priorities, leaving space for critics to seize the narrative.
The think tank warns that if politicians respond by watering down green commitments, they risk creating a self-fulfilling prophecy in which perceived backlash becomes reality. Instead, it urges leaders to make a confident case for net zero, focus on lowering bills through clean energy, and rebuild trust with voters.
The message is clear. The real danger may not be public opposition at all, but a political class, often in the pockets of polluters, spooked by headlines of its own making.