Advertisement
Environment

‘The inaction is a political failure’: Public backs transition to green jobs

Think tank Class says the public’s attitudes towards climate change are more progressive than the government’s.

An overwhelming majority of the public want the government to help fossil fuel workers into secure green jobs, a new survey has found.

The survey, run by Neon and Opinium in collaboration with the Centre of Labour and Social Studies (Class) found that 71 per cent of respondents supported the government taking responsibility for fossil fuel workers’ transition to green jobs on the path to net zero. 

Class director Ellie Mae O’Hagan said the results show the public “want decisive action to tackle climate change”.

Speaking to the Big Issue, O’Hagan pointed out that the survey results put the public further ahead than the government in attitudes towards a just transition. 

“Addressing climate change is not about whether the public want it or not, it’s actually about whether politicians want to do it or not.In that respect, the inaction so far is a political failure,” she said. 

Currently, there is little in the way of support for oil and gas workers who wish to transition into the renewable energy sector. 

Advertisement
Advertisement

A lack of practical support and the high costs associated with retraining in renewables is preventing many workers from making the transition, with many forced to stay in increasingly unstable, polluting jobs.

The Class survey wished to collect public opinion on the issue of a just transition, asking 2,000 adults whether they would support “the government taking responsibility for ensuring fossil fuel workers can be transitioned into secure green jobs”. 

Seven in 10 said they would support this policy.

Failing to support oil and gas workers in the transition to a greener economy risks repeating mistakes made in the 1980s, O’Hagan added.

“We all saw what happened to the mining communities in this country in the 1980s,” she continued.

“When there’s a huge change in society and it affects the way we all work to the extent that some industries don’t exist anymore, unless that’s done in a properly managed way the results are mass unemployment and the total loss of community.”

She called on the public to “make their voices heard” on the just transition, saying “politicians won’t act unless we make them act”.

Advertisement

Sign our petition to keep people in their homes

Urgent action is needed to prevent even more people being pushed into homelessness.  A secure home is the first step in addressing the cruel cycle of poverty to ensure people can fulfil their potential. Join us to keep people in their homes.

Recommended for you

Read All
'Reckless', 'inept', 'expensive': Rishi Sunak's net zero U-turn unleashes avalanche of criticism
Net Zero

'Reckless', 'inept', 'expensive': Rishi Sunak's net zero U-turn unleashes avalanche of criticism

Fury as Rishi Sunak makes screeching U-turn on UK’s climate policies: ‘We need an election’
Climate crisis

Fury as Rishi Sunak makes screeching U-turn on UK’s climate policies: ‘We need an election’

Lords kills off 'hatchet job' Tory plan to rip up EU pollution laws to build more houses
River pollution

Lords kills off 'hatchet job' Tory plan to rip up EU pollution laws to build more houses

UK government may have broken law over sewage pumping. Could this be a 'turning point'?
Water pollution

UK government may have broken law over sewage pumping. Could this be a 'turning point'?

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Here's when people will get the next cost of living payment in 2023
3.

Here's when people will get the next cost of living payment in 2023

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue
4.

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue