Questioning Net Zero: a case study of the UK’s national press coverage

In recent years, opposition to Net Zero policies has increased in several European countries, particularly among right-wing populist parties, driven by concerns over perceived high or unfair costs and associated lifestyle changes. In the UK, the Net Zero policy has become a highly contested political issue, provoking campaigns against it in the press. We carry out a case study of the coverage by nine legacy UK newspapers of the Net Zero policy in a four-month period in 2023. We identify common claims about the policy (such as high costs, unequal cost distribution and ‘whataboutism’), then analyse how often inaccurate or unchallenged statements appear in the articles, broken down by outlet and article type. We find a limited number of inaccurate statements in our sample of around 500 articles, but many misleading statements. Four right-wing outlets each had more than 70% of their editorials/opinion pieces discussing Net Zero containing at least one misleading statement; and between 39% and 60% of these same outlets’ editorial/opinion sections included at least three misleading statements. Given that anti-Net Zero discourses continue to be prevalent in the media across Europe, our research framework can act as a replicable method for studies of other countries, to show the nature and extent of these discourses in the media, and their possible contribution to the shaping of the political debate.

The right-wing press in the UK regularly publishes articles very critical of the Net Zero policy, mostly in their opinion pieces and editorials.
The main anti-Net Zero discourses are centred on the high costs, the distributional aspects of the impacts and the advisability of the UK taking action when other countries are much bigger emitters.
These discourses are seldom balanced with counterarguments or evidence, particularly around the issue of the costs of not taking action.
IPSO, the body entrusted with ensuring editorial standards for most of the UK press, has failed to prevent systemic inaccurate and misleading coverage of Net Zero policies; an effective and credible self-regulation system must be strengthened.

The right-wing press in the UK regularly publishes articles very critical of the Net Zero policy, mostly in their opinion pieces and editorials.
The main anti-Net Zero discourses are centred on the high costs, the distributional aspects of the impacts and the advisability of the UK taking action when other countries are much bigger emitters.
These discourses are seldom balanced with counterarguments or evidence, particularly around the issue of the costs of not taking action.
IPSO, the body entrusted with ensuring editorial standards for most of the UK press, has failed to prevent systemic inaccurate and misleading coverage of Net Zero policies; an effective and credible self-regulation system must be strengthened.