What’s next for conservative environmentalism?

By Lynsey Pardoe, Account Director

While the Prime Minister may be shying away from talking about climate change, the Opposition is setting out its plan for net zero and the Climate Change Act: scrap them. So where does that leave conservative environmentalism and what might the party do next?

What have the Conservatives actually said?

Kemi Badenoch's position on climate action is markedly more wary than her Conservative predecessors. She has called net zero by 2050 "impossible" without "bankrupting Britain," and dismissed the Climate Change Act as Labour-era legislation that "tied us in red tape, loaded us with costs, and did nothing to cut global emissions." Her pledge is to scrap the Act's targets in favour of growth, cheaper energy and "protecting the natural landscapes" – and she has told prospective Conservative candidates to adopt the same line.

At the launch of a report by Onward, Shadow Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho argued cheap energy should be prioritised over decarbonisation. The report itself makes the case for an alternative energy policy pathway that cuts emissions without reaching net zero by 2050.

The Conservatives are trying to walk a fine line: sceptical of net zero without sounding sceptical of climate change, rejecting the policy without rejecting the conservative philosophy that underpins it. Badenoch has felt compelled to state: "Climate change is real. The net zero plans are not." She rightly understands that climate denialism would put her on the wrong side of the electorate. She has also said, “we have a duty to protect our natural inheritance", echoing Thatcher's approach to environmental stewardship encapsulated in a 1989 speech, “No generation has a free hold on this earth. All we have is a life tenancy – with a full repairing lease”. Badenoch surely aspires to Thatcher's electoral record, but whether her stance on climate action is compatible with today’s electorate is up for debate.

Is that where the rest of the right is?

Badenoch's pitch assumes the public, particularly Conservative voters, have soured on net zero. The numbers tell a more complicated story. According to More in Common's polling on the 2026 local and devolved elections, 54% of Conservative voters support existing net zero policies, even though only 37% consider it "essential". Cost of living is clearly the priority for voters across the spectrum, and Badenoch has tapped into that well when talking about scrapping net zero.

But anti-net zero rhetoric alone won't win back a majority, nor blunt the threat from Reform. The same poll found just 12% of prospective Reform voters cite reversing climate policies as their reason for backing the party – suggesting an anti-net zero stance carries less electoral weight than the rhetoric implies.

The reaction within the party has been mixed. Theresa May, the PM who brought net zero into law, called the shift from Kemi Badenoch a "catastrophic mistake". Even the Telegraph, historically net zero’s sharpest media critic, has recently carried columns pushing back – Tim Stanley arguing the right "needs to get serious" about climate change, and Ambrose Evans-Pritchard criticising Badenoch's dismissiveness on economic grounds. Her backbenchers and shadow team unsurprisingly support her position and will no doubt be ready to vote to repeal the Climate Change Act, were the Conservatives to get back into Government. As climate impacts grow more tangible, the real challenge will be finding a credible answer beyond net zero.

So, who is making the case for conservative environmentalism?

Supporters of net zero may be dwindling at the top of the party, but conservative environmentalism remains popular on the ground – the Conservative Environment Network counts 400 councillors and 1200 grassroots supporters. Increasingly the focus is on nature rather than carbon. A tack that Badenoch herself has taken. Stewardship of land, greener community spaces and biodiversity remains far less contested ground than net zero targets, and it's here that conservative environmentalists have regrouped.

Environmental advocates within the party face a choice between toeing Badenoch's line to rebuild trust from within, or risking her displeasure to keep to their green principles on net zero.

What next for conservative environmentalism?

Badenoch doesn't seem to be interested in nuance. You're either with her or against her. For now, the immediate priority will be to align with Badenoch's position on net zero.

Conservative environmentalist wins will need to come from elsewhere, leaning into Thatcherite free market solutions, favouring aims over legal targets, and pushing more natural environment campaigns. The Onward report offers a preview of the arguments likely to resonate with the party, centred on making the cleaner option the most appealing one for consumers.

Green businesses that can show independence from government subsidy will be well placed to engage with the Conservatives. The same goes for those that can help cut the cost of living, expand consumer choice, or demonstrate British industrial strength.

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