Majority of Londoners are concerned about climate change

82% of Londoners are concerned about climate change, new polling conducted by London Councils shows. 

The number of people who responded saying their day-to-day decisions are influenced by climate change has increased from 59% to 61% over the last 12 months. 

The majority of residents asked (56%) believe that everybody is responsible for preventing and adapting to climate change in London. However, 50% agreed that Covid-19 has made it financially more difficult to take action to help prevent climate change. 

A higher proportion of ethnic minority people (61%) and white people (47%) agreed with this statement, reflecting the disproportionate impact of the pandemic. 

Based on this, London boroughs are calling on the government for more funding in key priority areas in this year’s Spending Review. This includes starting to deliver the £98bn of investment needed to retrofit all London homes to make them more energy-efficient and delivering the £3.8bn Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. 

Mayor Philip Glanville, Chair of London Councils’ Transport and Environment Committee, said: ‘The second year of our polling shows that Londoners remain worried about the effects of climate change and the severe impact it has on our communities. While their concern is increasing, it isn’t leading to despair. Londoners clearly support ambitious action to reduce carbon emissions and want to be part of that change.

‘The survey has also highlighted anxiety over the financial cost of helping to prevent climate change, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic; we must see government and private sector action to help address these costs. We must ensure there is no false choice between economic and climate resilience, especially going into the Winter with rising fuel costs.

‘With huge consensus on making a low carbon way of life a priority, we must listen to Londoners and act now to safeguard the future of our capital’s environment. Is it vital that we work in partnership to transform London into a city that is greener, more equal, healthy and sustainable for all Londoners and our diverse communities.’

London Councils is holding the Borough Climate Conference on 19 October, for officers and politicians within London boroughs to explore the challenges of climate action, how we can galvanise support for climate programmes and build momentum for this vital programme of work.

Photo by John Cameron