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The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial
Those who correctly
identified heating as
one of the three highest
contributors to UK
carbon emissions were
not significantly more
likely to think that a
transition towards more
environmentally friendly
heating technologies
was important.
PublicAttitudeHeatTransformation.indd
PublicAttitudeHeatTransformation.indd
Strategy has released a new report examining the British
public’s attitudes towards transforming the heating
sector. Transforming Heat - Public Attitudes Research, found that
there is strong support for carbon reduction policies, but most
of the general population has not heard of low carbon heating
technologies. However, public confidence in gas remains
high, with a strong preference for future solutions that are
nationally planned and that cause minimum disruption for
domestic consumers. Here, we bring you the key findings
A Social Attitudes survey.
new report commissioned by panel recruited from the British
The Department of Business,
Energy and Industrial Strategy
THERE WAS STRONG PUBLIC SUPPORT
(BEIS), Transforming Heat -
Public Attitudes Research, has
The British public was consistently
found that almost half of the people FOR CARBON REDUCTION POLICIES
surveyed (48 per cent) say carbon supportive of policies aimed at reducing
reduction is ‘very important’ and 42 carbon emissions and viewed the UK
per cent say it is ‘quite important’ that achieving a substantial reduction in
the UK makes a full transition towards carbon emissions to be important. Nine in
greener heating systems. ten people regarded targets for emissions
However, the majority of the general overall, and heating specifically, to be
population has not heard of low carbon important. There was some variation by
heating technologies and almost socio-demographic groups, but levels of
a third of gas users state they use support were high across them.
‘environmentally-friendly heating’,
suggesting a general lack knowledge BUT THERE WAS SOME DISCONNECT WITH
about what transitioning to low carbon KNOWLEDGE OF HEATING’S ROLE
heating could actually mean in practice. Self-reported knowledge/awareness,
As such, the report suggests that, when focused specifically on heating,
without a clear definition of what that was relatively low. Analysis suggests
transition could be, the results “cannot the public did not know that heating
by itself inform what priority areas in buildings is one of the very largest
of focus for future policy or public contributors to carbon emissions in
engagement might be”. the UK, and only a minority reported
having heard of specific low carbon
THE SURVEY heating technologies. It is not clear
The report explores public engagement that knowledge of heating’s role in
with a future transition to low carbon releasing carbon emissions, or of
heating by investigating the level of low carbon heating technologies, is
awareness and knowledge of: associated with levels of support for
the contribution to greenhouse gas environmentally-friendly policies.
emissions of heat in domestic and Those who correctly identified
commercial buildings; heating as one of the three highest
of UK emission reduction targets; and, contributors to UK carbon emissions
of specific low carbon heating were not significantly more likely to
technologies. think that a transition towards more
It considers how levels of environmentally-friendly heating
awareness and knowledge vary by technologies was important.
socio-demographic groups, types of
home heating system, and by levels INSTEAD, SUPPORT FOR A TRANSITION
of concern about climate change. WAS MORE STRONGLY ASSOCIATED WITH
Crucially, it takes some initial steps ATTITUDES TO CLIMATE CHANGE
towards understanding the level of People who were more concerned about
support for a future heating transition climate change, who engaged in significant
and the acceptability of possible ‘green’ behaviours, such as avoiding
elements of such a transition. non-recyclable materials when shopping,
The findings are based on a survey and supported other policies targeted at
conducted in May 2019 of a general reducing carbon emissions were more
GB population sample of adults. The likely to think the transition was important.
sample was taken from the NatCen This was borne out in the analysis
Panel, a random-probability research of an experiment that presented
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