It’s time for business to find its voice and lead on climate policy
Between late 2024 and early 2025, the CMP Regulate Us. Better campaign commissioned Obsurvant and YouGov to survey 500 business leaders’ and 103 MP’s attitudes toward climate mitigation, adaptation and regulation.
The majority of business leaders (85%) surveyed asserted that more robust government regulations are necessary for a real science-based transition in their industries to happen.
While 55% of business leaders claim they’re actively lobbying for the change we need, only 13% of MPs reported feeling pressure from business to improve climate regulation.
If the message is being transmitted, it isn’t being received.
“Businesses which are at the forefront of the green industries need to be more proactive in local communities so that politicians are not the sole message carriers. Anti Net Zero sentiment is growing in some areas, fuelled by bad science shared on social media. Businesses could help by sharing key learning resources e.g. facts and stats about why offshore wind is more environmentally friendly than oil and gas.”
– Labour MP
Our new report shows a serious breakdown in communication between UK businesses and policymakers.
Closing it is a great opportunity for our nation to more effectively respond to climate threats. MPs want business, large and small, to more loudly spell out the economic impact on their sectors and the communities in which they operate.
What gets in the way?
Business attitudes to climate costs reveal doublethink
The business community views the climate threat as more serious than our MP cohort, expressing greater concern about missed targets and calling more strongly for adaptation measures. In general, business leaders show a strong sense of responsibility, and appetite to drive meaningful change.
At the same time, most underestimate the implications of current climate trajectories for their existing business models. This was particularly clear in their conservative assessment of the necessary systemic change and their optimism about the financial implications of transitioning their own business in line with Paris targets. 71% claimed they were prepared to cut emissions by 50% by 2030 – a figure far from the current reality, with emissions cuts drastically behind schedule.
“Too many companies still think they can do it alone,”
says Helena Farstad, Regulate Us. Better Campaign Lead and primary author of the report. We need coordinated, visible advocacy for evidence-based regulation to mitigate and adapt. Otherwise, the conditions for any business to thrive will continue to erode and leaders will very soon find themselves completely unprepared for what is coming.”
Our report was just officially launched in this article by BusinessGreen.