Four out of five Britons say protecting wildlife and nature is personally important to them, but fewer than a third believe it matters to politicians, according to new research by More In Common.
The study found that 82% of people said protecting wildlife and nature is personally important to them, while just 32% thought this was important to elected politicians. More than half of voters (51%) believe nature is in a state of decline.
Support across the political spectrum
The research indicates that deep support for caring for the environment extends across the political spectrum, including among voters who oppose the dash to achieve net zero carbon emissions. Some 69% of voters who “strongly oppose” net zero still say nature matters to them personally.
Nature is personally important to more than nine in 10 Labour (93%), Liberal Democrat and Green Party (both 96%) voters; this is true for more than eight out of 10 Conservative (87%) and Reform (82%) voters.
Reform voters and local pride
Reform voters are the most likely to cite nature and wildlife when asked why they are proud of where they live. Thirty-eight percent selected this option – more than the 34% choosing local history and the 28% naming “community”.
The research also suggests people are unimpressed when natural protections are blamed for the failure to build much-needed homes. A mere 8% said overly tight environmental protections are one of the biggest challenges in the way of housebuilding.
Political warnings
According to More In Common’s analysis, “development which harms nature is politically toxic”.
Director Luke Tryl said: “Britons’ love of nature and wildlife is well established – and this research shows this extends across the whole political spectrum, including Britons who are more sceptical of other environmental policies, such as net zero.”
Warning that in Westminster “nature is not seen as an issue which determines votes or elections”, he said that candidates who are “seen to not care about protecting nature, from Reform to the Greens, risk losing votes”.
Harry Bowell, director of land and nature at the National Trust, said: “For too long nature has been treated by politicians as a nice-to-have. But this research confirms that the electorate cares deeply about nature and rejects the idea that it needs to be sacrificed to build more houses. After a summer of fires and drought, politicians must recognise that nature is both critical infrastructure that must be invested in accordingly, and a vote-winner too.”
Kevin Austin of the RSPB added: “The love people in this country have for nature and their desire to see it protected and restored is plain to see… People want to hear birdsong where they live, to see and be able to walk in nature.”
