Consumer Opinion about Climate Change and Decarbonisation
Reports, plans and updates
- Publication date
- Industry sector
- Supply and Retail Market
Related links
- The role of the consumer in achieving net zero
- Consumer Awareness of Climate-Related Government Policies
- Deep Dive on Consumer Attitudes Towards Decarbonisation
- Energy consumers’ experiences and perceptions of smart ‘Time of Use’ tariffs
- Evolving our consumer engagement work
- Ofgem Consumer First Panel: Consumer attitudes towards decarbonisation and net zero
To achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 Great Britain needs to, among other things, decarbonise domestic heating and greatly reduce the use of transportation powered by conventional internal combustion engines. In our Decarbonisation Action Plan we set out the steps we will take as a regulator over the next 18 months to ensure that we enable the most effective decarbonisation of the energy sector at the lowest cost to consumers. The action plan highlighted the importance of consumers’ engagement and behaviour in order to achieve net zero.
Much of government climate change policy in relation to energy to date has focused on incentivising investment in low carbon generation technology, but to achieve the net zero target consumer energy use habits also need to change. In the next decade Great Britain needs to achieve wide-spread use of low carbon emission technologies such as electric vehicles.
Ofgem has undertaken a number of consumer research projects to help us understand the ways consumers use energy and their attitudes towards climate change and decarbonisation. The findings from the research have provided us with a starting point to help identify what might encourage or inhibit consumers from playing a greater role in achieving net zero.
This document is a synthesis of the findings of this consumer research. It also refers to externally commissioned research and Ofgem’s regular consumer surveys when relevant supporting evidence is available from these sources.