Poll shows support for referendum on Britain's net-zero plans

A new survey shows 42 percent of adults in the United Kingdom would support a vote on the government's net zero carbon proposals.

The results of the Yougov poll, coming just days before the start of the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow on Sunday, revealed 30 percent opposed a vote, and 28 percent did not indicate a preference.

The polling company said that of those who expressed a preference, or when "don't knows" were excluded, 58 per supported a referendum.

Campaign group Car26.org, which is calling for a referendum on the net zero plans and a pause in eco regulations until a vote is held, commissioned the poll.

The group is proposing that the referendum be held at the 2024 or 2029 general election. Director of Car26.org, Lois Perry, said: "A majority of those expressing an opinion supported holding a referendum — greater than the winning sides in either the Scottish Independence or Brexit referendums."

The poll was taken from a sample of 1,648 adults, with strongest support for a referendum among Brexit voters, women, blue-collar workers and people residing in the North of the country, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Perry added: "We must not let political consensus drive us into carbon poverty. Let the people take control of the wheel."

At the Glasgow summit, Prime Minister Boris Johnson will seek to convince global leaders to step up climate action. Johnson's government has set out a target to reduce carbon emissions in the UK to net zero by 2050.

Johnson's blueprint for achieving the nation's target involves banning new gas boilers from 2035, installing electric car charging points, and building new nuclear power plants.

But analysts have warned that investment in decarbonization may need to be funded by tax rises, noted the Telegraph.

During Prime Minister's Questions in Parliament on Wednesday, the shadow business secretary for the opposition Labour Party, Ed Miliband, told Johnson global emissions need to halve this decade if Britain is to meet its climate commitments, reported the BBC.

Miliband, standing in for Labour leader Keir Starmer, who has COVID-19 and was absent, highlighted a United Nations report as he warned that "far from halving global emissions this decade, we are only on course to reduce them by 7.5 percent".

The prime minister responded that "the commitments are coming through", and that it is right to "keep the pressure up", but added that "you also have to be practical".