Overwhelming majority of Britons support setting legally binding targets to reduce the amount of sewage spilled in waterways

New polling from Ipsos on potential environmental policies, in partnership with the Financial Times, has found that more than 8 in 10 Britons (83%) support setting legally binding targets to reduce the amount of sewage spilled in waterways. In addition, nearly half (47%) of Britons believe that Rishi Sunak’s government has done a bad job at tackling climate change - although 4 in 10 (40%) believe that a Labour government led by Keir Starmer would be about the same on the issue. 

Support for reducing sewage in waterways

• Setting legally binding targets to reduce the amount of sewage spilled in waterways is the most popular environmental policy polled, at 83% support and just 5% oppose.
• Of the environmental and energy policies polled, only policies related to North Sea Oil drilling received less than 50% support. The public appear divided on the issue, with 43% supporting increased drilling, and 34% supporting no longer issuing licenses for new drilling. 
• Broadly, around half of Britons believe that a range of policies to address environmental damage and climate change take the right approach. 
• The exception to this is no longer issuing licenses for new drilling in the North Sea, which just over 1 in 3 believe takes the right approach (16% believe goes too far, 15% not far enough). 

Climate change record

• Climate change/protecting the environment ranks 13th on the list of issues that are likely to impact how people vote, with 26% of Britons saying that it will be very important in helping them make their decision.  
• Nearly half (47%) of Britons believe that Rishi Sunak’s government has done a bad job on dealing with climate change. 
• However, two in five (40%) believe that a Labour government led by Keir Starmer would be about the same. 

Recognition of environmental policies

• Overall, recognition of environmental policies proposed ahead of the election is relatively low. 
• When asked which political party proposed a range of environmental policies, 40% correctly identified Labour’s policy of setting up a publicly owned energy company. 
• 34% of Britons also associated the Conservative party with increasing North Sea drilling. 

Commenting on the findings, Rachel Brisley, Head of Energy and Environment at Ipsos, said:

Our new polling reveals that 83% of Britons support legally binding targets to reduce sewage spills in waterways - making it the most popular environmental policy on offer ahead of the election. There is significantly less consensus on North Sea oil drilling, with 43% supporting increased drilling and 34% opposing it. While climate change is just 13th in our list of issues that voters are prioritising, nearly half of Britons disapprove of the government's handling of the issue.

Technical Note

Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 1,100 adults aged 16-75 across Great Britain. Polling was conducted online on between 5-6 June 2024. Data are weighted to match the profile of the population. All polls are subject to a wide range of potential sources of error.