NEW: Majority Of UK Believes Polluters Should Pay, Not Us đź“Ł

8 June 2021

We’ve got some exciting news to share. New polling released today shows nearly two thirds of the UK public support redirecting public money away from oil and gas to green industry.

Not only is the UK government spending hundreds of millions each year propping up oil and gas, it’s doing so against the wishes of the majority of the UK.

It doesn’t stop there. The survey* found:

  • 67% would support the UK government offering financial support to workers in the fossil fuel industry to re-train in the renewable energy sector or other low carbon industries
  • 66% of Brits believe oil and gas companies should pay most or all of the cost for decommissioning and dismantling oil and gas rigs in the North Sea - i.e. the polluter should pay, not us
  • 61% of Brits want the UK government to draw up a concrete plan to wind down existing extraction and production of UK oil and gas

As we wait to hear whether permission is granted in the Paid to Pollute case, we want the UK government to know that the majority of the UK do not support “business as usual” in the North Sea. To make as much noise as possible, we need your help. 

Help spread the message #StopFundingFossils and tag @PaidToPollute in your posts!

The polling comes just days before the G7 Summit in Cornwall, where last month G7 environment ministers agreed to end all new finance for coal power by the end of 2021, and to provide increased support for clean energy alternatives like solar and wind.

Despite these commitments, the UK government continues to spend hundreds of millions of pounds propping up the oil and gas industry each year. The UK alone has paid £3.2bn of public money to North Sea oil and gas companies since signing the Paris Agreement.

The majority of Brits believe public money should fund green industry, not big polluters.

Let’s make sure the Government hears them. Join our digital action today!

- The Paid to Pollute Team, Mikaela, Kairin, and Jeremy

*The survey was conducted by ICM Unlimited. The sample size was 2,312 GB adults aged 18+. Field work was carried out online from 28 May to 1 June 2021.