{"id":88220,"date":"2026-09-08T13:17:13","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T12:17:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lse.ac.uk\/granthaminstitute\/?post_type=news&p=88220"},"modified":"2026-09-08T13:18:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T12:18:09","slug":"beyond-climate-change-denial-engaging-reform-uk-on-nature-and-adaptation","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.lse.ac.uk\/granthaminstitute\/news\/beyond-climate-change-denial-engaging-reform-uk-on-nature-and-adaptation\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond climate change denial? Engaging Reform UK on nature and adaptation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At Reform UK’s 2026 party conference Edward de Quay found louder rejection of the science of anthropogenic climate change but real concern about nature, agriculture and food production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year’s Reform UK conference was a bigger, slicker event than in 2025, with perhaps less nervous energy and more a feel of a party getting comfortable with itself. For a policy analyst working in the net zero and climate change space there was little in the way of new material, but it was fascinating to see how confidently human-caused climate change was shrugged off and alternative ‘theories’ on climate change discussed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two things stood out. Firstly, ‘the science says that’ is a phrase that cuts no mustard, and this is a party increasingly comfortable with rejecting consensus climate science. Secondly and more encouragingly, the party is still developing and consulting on policies outside the traditional core of its offer, which presents opportunities to engage, notably around nature and agriculture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rejection of climate science<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In our research<\/a> on Reform UK councils and their implementation of ‘scrap net zero’ policy earlier this year, we concluded that while “Reform UK does not currently have a clear, explicit position on climate change… there is evidence to indicate the party and its councils may be returning to the ‘denialist’ stance that rejects anthropogenic climate change.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conference was a safe place for climate-contrarian views; for example, that the climate has always changed (human impact is not important), that the UK’s contribution to climate change is insignificant (so why bother impoverishing ourselves), that ‘our’ (North Sea) oil is low-carbon oil and gives us energy security, and that innovation will let us continue to burn fossil fuels in a sustainable way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What felt new was the confidence with which anthropogenic climate change was questioned and various alternative ‘common sense’ explanations proffered by panellists and voters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following a fringe event speech from Richard Tice, Lord Monckton (a hereditary peer but not a member of the House of Lords) declared that Reform UK’s position was clear, that there was no need<\/em> to get to net zero. Lord Monckton described how variation in low level cloud cover was a better fit for causing climate change than CO2<\/sub>, and how efforts to counter climate change were in fact orchestrated by Russia to destabilise western economies. Accusation of socialism and communism were a regular feature of the conference. While Lord Monckton may not represent Reform UK, this is a party that is happy to give his views a platform, and whose voters applaud them enthusiastically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This reconfirmation of the party’s willingness to reject climate science is concerning, in that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to convince a party of the need for net zero policies if it does not believe in the reason <\/em>for them, which is anthropogenic climate change. It is worrying to be back in a space where we need to have conversations about the realities of anthropogenic climate change, rather than what we are to do about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Voter and farmer concern about the environment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Where, then, were there signs of hope and progress for climate and nature? Reform UK’s national policies on nature and agriculture<\/path><\/svg><\/a> are still in development and will be “informed by engagement with farmers and fishermen, industry experts and other stakeholders”. While the leadership of Reform UK consider the idea of tackling climate change “arrogant<\/path><\/svg><\/a>”, they do recognise the need for adaptation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A panel at the conference organised by More in Common on Reform UK and nature previewed polling which suggests that Reform voters express strong attachment to Britain’s countryside, farmland and national landscapes, and feel that these aspects of the UK are in decline. More in Common concludes that Reform UK voters’ scepticism over climate change should not be mistaken for ambivalence over nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Panellists also spoke of the frustration farmers and landowners feel at having to respond to government net zero targets which they see as prioritising CO2<\/sub> reduction at the expense of everything else. They would rather be able to manage their land – land that they know intricately – in ways that can restore healthy functioning ecosystems and biodiversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While charities present made gentle nudges towards considering climate change, its impacts were largely absent from the discussion. This is important, as the 2023 State of Nature report<\/path><\/svg><\/a> notes that “changes in the way we manage our land for farming, and climate change were the biggest causes of wildlife decline on our land, rivers and lakes,” something which Reform voters show they care about.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adaptation and mitigation are both essential for domestic food production<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There is, then, an opportunity here to engage and influence Reform UK policy on nature and agriculture. At a fringe event held by the National Farmers’ Union, there was a conversation about aiming for a target of 80% food self-sufficiency in the UK. But this ambition will be increasingly unattainable with more summers like those of 2022 and 2026 and this necessitates a serious rethink of the way we produce food in the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Danny Kruger MP addresses the National Farmers’ Union fringe event. Photo: Edward de Quay<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers and landowners should be clear to Reform UK. Adaptation to changing climatic conditions is vital, but the worse we allow climate change to become, the harder self-sufficiency will become.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is true that the UK is a small contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, and this is why any UK Government needs to prioritise international diplomacy to encourage meaningful action on climate change – but no one will respect us if we are not prepared to lead by example. Mitigation, adaptation and international cooperation are all simultaneously vital to give UK farmers and our native biodiversity the best outcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In short, Reform UK are clearly in the market for the agriculture and nature vote. Farming communities and those concerned about our natural environment currently have the opportunity to let the party know that both are in danger from the impacts of climate change, and that voters expect them to take it seriously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n

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