Introduction

Ministers have recently made a series of vocal commitments to its clean energy ambitions. Ed Miliband’s address at the Energy UK Conference reaffirmed Labour’s commitment to a clean energy future. Meanwhile, Rachel Reeves reiterated the need for the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which aims to streamline the development of major energy projects, alongside housing and vital infrastructure like reservoirs. However, the Government appears to be on the defensive from fierce opposition to its plans.

Just a decade ago, politicians from across the spectrum shared a consensus on the importance of climate action. As recently as 2022, Boris Johnson championed what seemed like the inevitable march toward a green economy. His government hosted COP26, launched the UK’s Net Zero Strategy, increased renewable energy targets, and brought forward the ban on new petrol and diesel car sales to 2030.

At the time, ambitious action on climate appeared to transcend party lines. But today, just three short years later, that consensus has fractured.

A shifting political and popular landscape

The Labour Government, with Miliband as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, took office with a strong clean energy mandate. However, the broader political climate has continued to become more polarised. Figures such as Liz Truss, who in 2022 condemned solar farms as threats to farmland, have helped fuel scepticism toward aspects of the green agenda, with Kemi Badenoch now firmly opposed to net zero by 2050.

New political challengers, most notably Reform, have gone further, actively campaigning against renewable energy investment and warning energy companies to withdraw from the sector. In local government, Reform-led councils have pledged to block dozens of planned solar and battery storage projects, threatening up to 6GW of capacity across England. This is despite independent analysis by the New Economics Foundation suggesting these efforts could wipe £92bn from the UK economy by the end of the decade if clean energy deployment stalls.

A question of social licence?

Does this mean the people of the UK are revoking its social licence for meaningful climate action? Not quite.

Despite the political noise, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Public Attitudes Tracker conducted polling in April 2025 which found that overall support for the use of renewable energy such as wind power, solar energy and biomass to provide electricity, fuel and heat stood at 80%.

While it is true that public opinion has become more tempered and hesitant, with this figure standing at 87% in 2021, public support for renewables remains strong even as the political consensus has fractured. This begs the question of what is really happening in this policy space?

What is really driving the perception of declining support is a growing disconnect between national ambition and local delivery, coupled with a climate of economic uncertainty and social stress.

Many clean energy projects – particularly solar and onshore wind – still face stiff local resistance. Voters often support renewables in principle but resist specific developments that impact local landscapes or that are perceived to not benefit local communities.

But that resistance is not just about aesthetics or land use. It is also being shaped by the lingering effects of recent crises: the COVID-19 pandemic stretched public finances and frayed trust in government delivery; Russia’s invasion of Ukraine triggered an energy price spike that made bills unaffordable for many; and the UK’s cost of living crisis has placed household budgets under immense pressure. In this context, any policy perceived to increase costs or their energy bills at the end of the month, even temporarily, is met with scepticism.

Political parties are increasingly trying to exploit this tension by either outright voicing opposition to renewables projects (as Reform have done most forcefully), or by appearing pro-climate at the national level while opposing projects locally – the Liberal Democrats have often found themselves caught between these conflicting pressures in their rural constituencies.

A social licence under strain

The UK has not lost its social licence for renewables. However, it is under pressure. Economic anxiety, political fragmentation, and local resistance have complicated the path to net zero.

To maintain momentum, policymakers and developers must rebuild local trust, communicate long-term benefits, and ensure renewables are seen not as a burden, but a route to energy security, lower bills, and national resilience.

Communication will be key – it must involve meaningful engagement with local stakeholders and communities, tangible benefits to households and avoiding the dismissal of legitimate concerns people hold.

The licence to act is still there – but it must be continually renewed.