Nearly four in ten (37%) environmental professionals say government policies are not supporting them to reach net zero goals, a new survey shows.
Data from the National Environmental Services research comes as another poll shows public support for a series of net zero policies has fallen over the last two years.
The survey also revealed that eight in ten (80%) professionals say they have serious concerns about the integrity of carbon credit offsetting schemes. More than nine in ten (94%) believed that greenwashing is prevalent in the UK, while 32% said climate change and global warming were the biggest issues within the environment and sustainability sectors.
Rob Mowat, managing director, ESS Expo, said: “It is alarming to hear that so many sustainability experts believe carbon offsetting schemes are actually failing the environment.
Subscribe to Sustainability Beat for free
Sign up here to get the latest sustainability news sent straight to your inbox everyday
“While there are some businesses entering into highly certified programmes, there are concerns from many across the industry that these schemes are simply another form of greenwashing and can, in some instances, cause more harm to the environment than good.”
The survey used data from over 1,498 professionals from across the environmental industry between April and May this year.
Meanwhile, an Ipsos survey polled 4,201 people aged 16 and over in April on their attitudes towards net zero on behalf of the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations, an organisation involving universities of Bath, Cardiff, East Anglia, Manchester and York and the charity Climate Outreach.
Its findings include a fall in support for frequent flyer levies and a drop in support for changing pricing to reflect how environmentally friendly products are.
In May this year, the ‘largest ever’ national net zero business census was launched, taking a temperature check on the eco actions of UK businesses.
