According to the Energy Security and Net Zero (ESNZ) Select Committee, which is running the inquiry:
Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and its impact on energy costs laid bare the price of dependence on gas. Polling consistently shows broad public concern about climate change – at times even exceeding concern over affordable housing.
While public support for renewables remains strong, driven by widespread concern about climate change and energy security, vocal opposition to net-zero, which includes the energy transition, has grown. Since the Climate Change Act 2008 and the subsequent enshrining of the 2050 net zero target in law, political consensus and the will to see it through have become increasingly fractured.
In this session, to be held on Wednesday afternoon, experts from polling organisations and academia have been invited to shed light on how understanding, support and opposition have changed over time, how attitudes differ across the nations of the UK, and how people find and respond to information across the many sources available.
Witnesses include:
- Luke Tryl, More in Common
- Rachel Brisley, Ipsos UK
- Karen Bickerstaff, University of Exeter, and chair of the Access Net Zero Taskforce
- Amanda Grimm, Community Energy Scotland
- Claire Chappell, Climate Action Wales
- Amanda Slevin, Queen’s University Belfast
Parliamentary inquiry?
This is technically a parliamentary inquiry rather than a Government inquiry because Select Committees are not a part of the Government. Instead they are cross-party committees of backbench MPs appointed by the House of Commons as a whole.
ESNZ Select committee scrutinises the policy, spending and administration of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and its public bodies, including Ofgem and the Committee on Climate change.
