A survey conducted by YouGov and commissioned by E.ON Drive has revealed that around 54% of the British public view sustainability investments as having the potential to reduce poverty.
While a similar proportion (54%) of the 1,000 people surveyed stated that they feel that the government and large companies are jointly responsible for delivering energy innovation and thus social change, there is far less optimism around the efforts being made to achieve this; only one in seven (15%) of respondents stated that they are optimistic that enough action is being taken globally to avoid climate change.
More broadly, the results suggest that a growing proportion of the UK public view sustainability and social equity as a joint mission, a belief that arguably could be fueled by the lasting impact of the energy bill crisis caused by skyrocketing gas costs from imports.
Furthermore, 70% believe that investing in green infrastructure in cities, such as improving the energy efficiency of buildings, building EV charging infrastructure, developing rooftop and small-scale renewable energy generation, and capturing and reusing heat from data centres, is key to a sustainable future in the UK.
Vijay Tank, chief operating officer at E.ON Energy Infrastructure Solutions UK, said: “There is a strong public appetite for sustainable progress, paired with a recognition that investment in clean energy solutions is essential for a fairer future. We’re committed to turning these ambitions into reality.”
Green investment a national priority
The news comes not long after an announcement that the National Wealth Fund – a green investment vehicle launched by the Labour government in the days following last July’s general election – will invest £65 million into EV charger firm Connected Kerb to help speed the rollout of EV chargers across the UK.
Ahead of last year’s general election, industry body Energy UK emphasised the economic benefits of investing in the green transition, noting that accelerating the transition to net zero could boost the UK economy by £240 billion by 2050, while adding that attempts at rolling back green policies earlier this decade added £9.8 billion to consumer energy bills in 2022/2023.
More recently, the UK government has tried to boost investment into offshore wind – a key part of the UK’s green economy – by announcing a Clean Industry Bonus which will provide financial support for offshore wind developers who prioritise investment in areas that need it most, namely former oil and gas communities.
