The climate story at party conferences 2025

Among the crowded field of policy announcements, panel discussions and drinks receptions one thing became clear: most politicians are starting to recognise they need to get better at talking about climate progress. 

I lost track of the number of events at the Labour and Liberal Democrat Party Conferences on how they can best fight off the threat of Reform UK. It shows where their priorities are. I also heard them recognising that progress to tackle climate change and protect nature are things the majority of voters care about and can be used in that fight. But this message needs to be much louder. 

There was a buoyant atmosphere in Bournemouth for the Liberal Democrats, where they dedicated a whole day to Climate and Nature. They were quick to shout about their victories in Parliament – pushing the Government to ensure that all new homes will have rooftop solar and deliver a State of Climate and Nature address to Parliament for the first time. They also took aim at Labour’s ‘nature blindness’ as their Climate and Energy Spokesperson Pippa Heylings put it. I joined her on a panel on countering the war against renewable energy where she framed the Lib Dems as the custodians of nature in stark contrast to Reform UK and Labour. My focus was reminding people of the findings of Britain Talks Climate and Nature – that people overwhelmingly want ambitious climate leadership, support renewables and are proud of nature.

Why then, does it seem like climate is the next battleground in British politics? Because we are not communicating the benefits of climate action through the right storytellers and engaging people sufficiently in decisions that will affect their communities. Politicians and the media are talking about net zero, ULEZ and COPs without explaining the vision for cheaper electricity, cleaner air and a more liveable future for our children and grandchildren that we’re trying to build. 

Ed Miliband’s speech at the Labour Party Conference sought to recognise this. He focused on big infrastructure, yes, but also on the Government’s progress installing solar on 200 hospitals and schools leading to cheaper bills. Technical policy decisions need to be articulated into stories of real benefit for ordinary communities, and people engaged on the decisions that will affect them. 

MPs from various parties are starting to grapple with this. Labour MP Polly Billington, who champions coastal communities, shared at a panel event I attended that public engagement on renewable energy is expensive but an absolute necessity; something which the Party’s ‘builders not blockers’ mantra risks jeopardising. Liberal Democrat MP Roz Savage spoke of her work championing community energy against corporate-backed solar farms in her constituency which risk profits flowing out of the local area.

I was also at the Green Party Conference, where there was an ascendant mood and a clear attempt to communicate the climate and nature crises as a symptom of rising economic inequality. Zack Polanski’s first speech as Green Party leader was plain-speaking and spoke to the tangible changes the Party would make: cleaner rivers, lower bills and rural bus routes.This is a clear shift in the Green Party’s communications, talking about climate action through the lens of the cost of living crisis and placing blame squarely at the hands of big business and the super wealthy.

As for the Conservatives and Reform UK, there is a competition underway to break from the progressive Parties and they have both firmly declared climate action as unnecessary, expensive, and against British interests. Our Britain Talks Climate & Nature research shows that the majority of people are proud of our transition to renewable energy, and 74% care about climate change. It is a losing strategy to try and claim otherwise.

So here are three things politicians need to do better when talking about climate change:

• Talk about the progress we’re already making. There’s so much coverage of negative climate impacts that most people struggle to believe the progress underway. Most people are surprised that renewable energy now generates the majority of our electricity, so keep emphasising the stories of progress.
• Tell the stories of local action through the best storytellers. Recognise that climate denialism is not on the rise, but distrust in politicians is. It won’t be enough to reel off what policies are coming out of Westminster. Finding local, trusted voices to tell the stories of climate and nature action at the local level is vital.
• Champion public engagement. There is going to be so much more buy-in for renewable energy projects if people feel they have had a say from the very beginning and understand the benefits for their community and their bills.