Thread by @_richardblack

Very interesting findings from @Survation poll of attitudes to climate change and the #netzero transformation survation.com/british-public… - raises questions for government, commentators, broadcasters and environment groups

First result - 64% think #UKnetzero date should be brought forward from 2050 (vs 9% who want it later or not at all). Chimes with letter signed by (now) 193 MPs theclimatecoalition.org/joint-letter, co-ordinated by @SimonClarkeMP, which called for date "before 2050"

...which is fine - except the Committee on Climate Change @theCCCuk concluded in its Net Zero report theccc.org.uk/publication/ne…: 'The Committee do not currently consider it credible to aim to reach net-zero emissions earlier than 2050'. And it is the official advisor to Government

For those in politics who are looking to advance the existing date notwithstanding @theCCCuk advice, second noteworthy point is a third of the population backs 2025 as the target - despite evidence that meeting this would be, to put it euphemistically, "challenging"

Third point: half the population believes UK won't get to #netzero by 2050. Would be interesting to know why - belief that it's hard, lack of awareness that solutions do exist, lack of faith in politics, etc. But clearly ministers, scientists & civil society have a job to do

Fourth: two-thirds (ballpark) are prepared to make lifestyle changes in order to get to #netzero. This is one point that I think media commentariat does not generally reflect

But the message to green groups from the same graph surely is: "don't tell us what to do". There's willingness to reduce meat eating but not to give it up completely. Suspect questions on giving up car ownership or flying would produce similar answers

Most interesting of all - 50% of the population sees cutting greenhouse gas emissions as more important than growing the economy (vs 30% other way)

Luckily there is hardly a conflict between the two - one can argue @Survation's framing is well out of date here. However... it raises the question, should broadcasters give the same airtime to reporting environmental indicators as to economic ones? What do you reckon, @BBCNews?

Last message is... rack up another failure for the contrarians

eg: Dominic Lawson in @thesundaytimes a while back on #netzero thetimes.co.uk/edition/commen…: "No one is interested in your last-minute legacy building, Mrs May"

...except, as this survey shows (among others), people are interested. @theresa_may was in tune with the public. You know, the people outside the privileged confines of 55 Tufton St and the broadsheet press. Not only interested, but concerned and prepared to do something

More proof of @itvnews's science editor @TomClarke_ITV description of the UK's climate contrarian elite as "a spectacular waste of ink and intellectual energy" amazon.co.uk/Denied-rise-fa…

So - lots of interesting findings here. Who's going to do what with them?