UK savers have been urged to make their pension green after research revealed that this was a “staggering” 21 times more effective at cutting carbon footprints than stopping flying, becoming a vegetarian and moving to a renewable energy provider combined.

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The analysis, from Make My Money Matter (MMMM), Aviva, and Route2, found that those with an average sized pension pot of £30,000 who moved from a traditional fund to a sustainable option can expect to save 19 tonnes of carbon a year.

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Furthermore, the same shift for savers with a larger pension of at least £100,000 could save up to 64 tonnes of carbon, equal to nine years’ worth of the UK citizen’s average carbon footprint.

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The impact of switching an average £30,000 pension pot was also compared to the day-to-day lifestyle changes many consumers are making in order to aid in the fight against climate change.

It was found to be 57x more effective than switching to a vegan diet, 20x more effective than driving an electric car, and 40x more impactful than moving to a renewable energy provider.

In light of the findings, the MMMM campaign has emphasised that whilst it was “vital” that individuals continue to take these steps to reduce their climate impact, they must also ensure that their money is complementing these efforts, rather than undermining them.

It argued that there is an “untapped superpower at the disposal of savers across the UK”, urging pension savers to “harness this power” by contacting their pension provider and asking them to achieve net zero emissions.

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