Green or go: Welsh residents ‘prepared to move away’ if home town does not go greener, major nationwide survey finds

·       E.ON survey of 20,000 adults across the UK shines stark light on attitudes and priorities to government and business actions on meeting zero carbon targets

• Making homes greener and cheaper to run is the public’s number one priority

·       Across the UK, nearly 10 million[1]  UK adults ‘prepared to move’ if their home town doesn’t go greener in next five years – including over 1 in 10 (13%) Welsh adults

·       Five million Brits ‘could quit their job’ if their employer doesn’t become greener in the next decade – including almost 1 in 5 (17%) Welsh adults

·       Only 6% of Wales’s population feel listened to on local decision making

E.ON has published the findings of a major new survey exploring the attitudes and ambitions of 20,000 adults around the UK, revealing a country lacking pride in local efforts towards net zero and people wanting more of a voice in delivering the changes needed to combat the climate crisis.

In Wales, the survey found that only 25% of residents feel proud of the work it local community is doing to invest in green initiatives – and fewer than one in ten (6%) say they feel listened to when it comes to decision making on local green investments.

E.ON is an official partner of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games – which aims 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 climate.

It 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.

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.

Commenting on the findings, Michael Lewis, Chief Executive of E.ON UK, 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.”

The data is based on a survey of 20,000 UK adults,  focusing on some of Britain’s largest cities, including Birmingham, home of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, London, Manchester, Cardiff and Glasgow. It is hoped the report can be a springboard for discussion on public attitudes towards government and businesses in their shared mission to create cleaner, fairer and more sustainable communities and workplaces.

Wanting more say

Only a quarter of UK adults (25%) say they feel proud of the work being done by communities and businesses to invest in green initiatives, with the lowest levels of pride felt in Scotland (22%), Northern Ireland (23%), the North West (24%) and the East Midlands (24%). This compares to 25% in Wales.

Fewer than one in ten (7%) say they feel listened to when it comes to decision making around local green investments, with that number falling to just 5% in the North West of England.

Across the UK, 59% of adults want more say in how taxpayers’ money is invested in green initiatives for businesses and communities, peaking in South West England (64%), South East England and Scotland (both 60%). This compares to 59% in Wales.

The desire for meaningful action on behalf of future generations could be a strong driver for these results, with 76% agreeing that communities and businesses need to become greener for the benefit of their children and their children’s children.

Cities, towns and employers face a potential exodus without action

Three fifths (60%) of UK adults agree that environmental change starts with communities and businesses, yet almost half (46%) do not think that their region is  doing enough to reduce carbon emissions and make life greener. In Wales, 39% of respondents agreed that the region is not doing enough.

In fact, E.ON’s study reveals, nearly 10 million[2] adults (16%) would be willing to move to a different area of the UK if their home town or city doesn’t become greener in the next five years, including almost two million[3] Londoners (22%).

Actions UK adults want to see their local council leaders take to improve the sustainability credentials of their area in priority area were ranked:

1. Help make homes greener and cheaper to run (57%)
2. Reduce the carbon impact of public buildings (48%)
3. Make sure all new buildings are constructed to a net zero standard (45%)
4. Create more green spaces in built up urban areas (44%)
5. Electrify all public transport (41%)
6. Install more electric vehicle charging points (38%)
7. Make towns/cities more pedestrian and cycle friendly (35%)
8. Focus on clean air initiatives (23%)

Local services UK adults feel are most in need of immediate investment to lower their areas carbon footprint/ improve energy efficiency are:

1. Public transport (41%)
2. Commercial premises (38%)
3. Residential properties (33%)
4. Transport hubs (31%)
5. Schools/colleges/universities (24%)
6. Hospitals (24%)
7. Public buildings – libraries, courts, community centres (19%)
8. Sports facilities – stadium, leisure centres (13%)

In line with the spirit of the Birmingham 2022 Games, there is also a strong competitive element to people wanting to surround themselves in a sustainable environment. Two fifths (44%) of those surveyed said they want to live in the greenest city in the UK, peaking at half (50%) of Londoners, followed by 45% of people in the West Midlands. Almost a third (31%) said that they want to work for the greenest business in the UK, with London leading at (34%), followed by South West England (33%). This compares to 31% in Wales.

A third (32%) of those polled agreed that local leaders make more effective green investment decisions when they include private sector expertise/counsel in their decision making.

Employers

Almost three fifths (56%) of respondents in E.ON’s research describe themselves as ‘passionate’ about seeing positive environmental change in the company they work for, but more than five million[4] of the UK’s workers (18%) would be prepared to quit their job if the company  didn’t become greener in the next ten years, with Londoners showing the most willing (22%), followed by those in South East England (21%) and South West England (20%). This compares to 17% in Wales.

Actions workers  want to see their employer take to improve the sustainability credentials of the company they work for:

1. Make the office greener – insulation, solar panels, heat pumps (45%)
2. Make recycling easier (44%)
3. Ban the use of disposable plastics (34%)
4. Commit to only using sustainable suppliers (31%)
5. Invest in local green community projects (25%)
6. Only use hybrid or fully electric company cars and fleet vehicles (25%)
7. Ensure pension providers hold carbon friendly investment portfolios (24%)
8. Use public transport or car shares for business trips (19%)

Irrepressible optimism

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.

Additionally, 36% agree that big sporting occasions like the World Cup, Olympic Games or Commonwealth Games  can be a springboard for positive environmental change.

Michael Lewis added: “Birmingham 2022 has set itself the goal of being a carbon neutral Games, the most sustainable ever, and major global events like this are a perfect springboard for change and to inspire people to team up and take their own action for climate.”