ICE submission to the ESNZ Committee inquiry on building support for the energy transition

This inquiry by the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee examined how effectively the UK government is communicating the objectives and benefits of the energy transition to the public.

The ICE’s response made the following key points:

• Decarbonising the grid will require significant investment in infrastructure. This will ultimately deliver environmental benefits, greater energy security, and lower bills.
• However, recent polling commissioned by the ICE suggests more needs to be done to engage the public about the cost of infrastructure and how it is paid for.
• The public ultimately funds new infrastructure through taxes, utility bills or user charges, but people are divided on which is the fairest way to pay for it.
• Shifting global politics and public attitudes around clean energy and net zero are risks to the government’s Clean Power Mission. The government and the engineering profession could do more to engage the public on the journey to net zero.
• Research commissioned by the ICE in 2024 suggests that most people want to make behavioural changes to support the net zero transition and believe individuals have at least some responsibility to act.
• More could be done to help people to make those changes, including providing a single point of reference, addressing market and non-financial barriers and providing clear policy paths.