Exclusive: Brits Warn Labour Not To Let Donald Trump Derail Fight Against Climate Change
A clear majority of British voters do not want the government to water down its climate change commitments even if America does so after Donald Trump takes power, HuffPost UK can reveal.
Two-thirds say Labour ministers must either increase or maintain the UK’s global action on the issue even if the US scales back its efforts.
The findings, contained in a poll carried out by the More in Common think-tank, come as Keir Starmer prepares to join world leaders at the COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Trump, who was re-elected for a second term last week after a stunning victory over Kamala Harris, has said in the past that climate change is a “hoax” and “one of the great scams of all time”.
He is also opposed to the Paris climate agreement, which was aimed at limiting the rise in the global temperature 1.5 degrees.
The poll asked what the UK should do if Trump makes good on his promise to reduce the US’s efforts on tackling climate change.
Forty per cent said Britain should maintain its current commitment to the issue, with a further 26% saying it should lead to the government going even further than it currently is.
The poll also found that 62% of voters think the UK should be one of the countries leading the global effort to tackle climate change.
That is partly explained by the fact that two in five Britons (43%) expect climate change to impact their lives over the course of this parliament.
Conleth Burns, associate director of More in Common, said: “Our research reflects a national pride in the UK’s leadership on climate and a desire from the public to see the country to go further and faster rather than retreat.
“Should President Trump scale back recent US commitments to tackling climate change, there is no public mandate for the UK to follow suit. Public support for climate action is strong.”
He added: “The task the public has set the government at the COP negotiations is to take a practical and forward-looking approach that delivers clear, tangible and practical benefits for the British public.”