23 January, 2026

For the first time in 15 years, UK newspapers are publishing more editorials against climate action than for it.  

Analysis by The Carbon Brief shows that in 2025, nearly 100 editorials argued against policies designed to tackle climate change – more than double the number backing them.  

This shift matters. Media narratives shape public opinion and impact the frame for action. So we think it’s important to try and understand it.   

Part of the explanation lies in the nature of the publications taking this anti-climate action stance – mostly right wing newspapers.  In this way it mirrors the shifts around net zero on the UK’s political right wing, including both the Conservatives and Reform.  

But we think it might also be symptomatic of a broader issue: pessimism. As this article in The Economist outlines, economic pessimism has become one of the global economy’s biggest constraints, with economic pessimists outnumbering optimists two to one in Britain. This is not unique to climate change, but it is particularly relevant because when the future feels uncertain, the instinct is to wait, not act. Meaning ambitious transitions are harder to sell and calls for climate action are easier to dismiss. 

Misinformation and sensational news headlines amplify the problem. Stories in the Daily Mail and The Times about the “£4.5 trillion cost of net zero” are a prime example. That figure comes from a National Energy System Operator estimate of installing and running a net-zero energy system between now and 2050. The costs are real (although highly variable), but the analysis ignores the fact that an energy system run on fossil fuels isn’t free. In fact, once climate impacts are factored in, analysis suggests net zero could actually be the cheapest option.  

The decline in pro-climate editorials leaves a dangerous gap. To rebalance the debate, we need to dispel the pessimism with more positive stories that show what climate action delivers in real terms (lower bills, cleaner air, new jobs) and why acting now is the smart choice.  

By Budd Nicholson