PUBLIC concern about climate change has increased sharply this summer, new polling reveals.

One in four Britons now see the environment as an important issue for the country,  double the proportion in July.

The findings from the monthly Ipsos Issues Index come after the Tories faced a backlash for watering down green policies, supposedly in response to the cost-of-living crisis.

Public concern over the environment is now at its highest level since the Cop26 conference in Glasgow in November 2021, which the issue ranking joint third with the NHS, which has seen a drop of 8 percentage points since July.

Ipsos researcher Mike Clemence said: “Climate change and the environment has risen to become seen as the joint third-biggest issue facing the country this month and news reports about wildfires and extreme temperatures disrupting holidays are a likely cause.

“Elsewhere, we see a small rise in concern about immigration, with worry strongly centred among Conservative Party supporters and older people.

“However, economic issues continue to lead public concern, with worry about the state of the economy rising this month, particularly for Labour Party supporters and the middle classes.”

Last month, Downing Street said ministers were scrutinising existing net-zero pledges “in light of some of the cost-of-living challenges” as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced backing for around 100 new licences for North Sea oil and gas extraction.

His claim that granting the licences was “entirely consistent” with Britain’s commitments on reaching net-zero carbon emissions were branded “wrongheaded” by campaigners.

Ipsos found that the economy and inflation remain the two issues of greatest concern, with 37 per cent of Britons mentioning each.

Concern about immigration crept up to its highest level since 2017, 23 per cent, with Conservative Party supporters and the over-65s more than twice as likely to mention it as Labour supporters or 18 to 34-year-olds.