The number of Brits who think the dangers of global warming have been exaggerated has jumped by more than 50% in the past four years, while nearly 90% say they do not support energy bills rising to pay for Net Zero. The revelations come in new polling for the Times, which has the story.

One in four voters now believe that concerns over climate change are not as real as scientists have said, amid growing public concern at the cost of the Government’s Net Zero policies.

Less than a third of the public (30%) are in favour of banning new petrol and diesel cars — down from 51% in 2021.

Only 16% of voters said they would be prepared to pay higher gas bills to encourage the switch to electricity.

Experts said the findings showed that growing climate scepticism within mainstream politics in both Britain and the US was cutting through with voters, as the broad consensus on climate action breaks down. …

Four years ago climate change was identified as the fourth most important issue facing the country ahead of immigration and asylum, education and crime.

At the time only 11 per cent of the 1,600-plus people questioned said that global warming was not the result of human activity while only 16% believed that the warnings from scientists about its implications were exaggerated.

Now climate change has fallen right down the list of the public concerns while there has been a marked increase in climate scepticism. The environment has fallen behind issues such as the economy and immigration, but is still above education, transport and Brexit.

Today 16% of voters think global warming is not the result of human activity, while 25% think the threat has been exaggerated.

The findings come amid growing concern at the top of government that its climate change policies could cost it votes at the next election.

Nigel Farage has called for Net Zero policies to be scrapped, saying the backlash against green energy could become the “new Brexit” while the Conservatives have announced a review of their support for climate change policies amid warnings from Kemi Badenoch that the political consensus “cannot hold”.

Badenoch told the Times that the polling showed plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 will not work. She said: “Keir Starmer is living in a fantasy land while families pay the price. That is why I have said plainly: Net Zero in its current form is impossible.”

Worth reading in full.

Stop Press: With Keir Starmer telling his new Cabinet that their priority must be “growth growth growth”, Ed Miliband’s extortionate Net Zero schemes may not survive November’s Budget, says the Telegraph.