Although Irish people have become increasingly worried about severe storms and extreme heat, they have become less supportive of climate actions that affect their spending choices, a new survey has found.
According to a national survey by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), these choices include higher taxes on motor fuels like petrol and the banning of fossil fuels for home heating.
The survey also found that only 5% of people could distinguish the greenhouse gas effect from other environmental topics such as acid rain or the ozone layer.
This is the second time the EPA has published such a detailed survey about what Irish people think about climate change.
It found 95% of people are aware of climate change, while 89% say it is important to them personally.
78% discuss it with their family and friends often or occasionally, and 79% say that it should be a very high or a high priority for the Government.
The proportion of people worried about severe storms has risen from 64% to 74% over the past two years.
The survey found that 54% worry about extreme heat, which is up from 45%.
Yet support for higher taxes and bans on fossil fuels has fallen significantly.
41% say that they are now opposed to increased taxes on petrol and diesel, while half the people surveyed are against banning peat, coal, and oil for home heating.
The survey also found that four out of every ten people think, incorrectly, that climate change is caused equally by humans and by nature.
And while 96% of people say they have heard of the "greenhouse gas effect", only one out of every 20 were able to distinguish between that effect and other environmental topics such as acid rain or the ozone layer.
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Director of the EPA's Office of Evidence and Assessment Dr Eimear Cotter said the survey shows that although people want large structural changes brought in by the Government, that softens when it has direct impact on their lives.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, she said the survey results show that people are getting information from multiple sources and there is trust in scientists in terms of climate information, adding that "they trust mainstream media, and they're talking to their family and friends about climate".
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The study found 58% of people support reducing the size of the national herd to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, with 29% strongly holding that view.
Conversely, 42% oppose reducing the herd size with 22% strongly opposing the suggestion.
The survey found 91% of people support increasing forest areas in their locality to offset agriculture's GHG emissions.
EPA Director General Laura Burke said: "Despite the many challenges, including cost of living increases, people remain positive about the benefits of climate action for our economy and quality of life.
"There continues to be majority support for a range of climate policies. In particular, we see overwhelming support for improved public transport and renewable energy, which can deliver significant emissions reductions, air quality improvements as well as delivering cost savings for individuals."
Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan said the survey shows the importance of ongoing communications.
"This survey also shows us that climate is not an issue that divides people as much as it unites us," he said.
"It also underlines the importance of ongoing engagement and communications.
"As a Government, we must listen and act so that we are supporting people to take climate action that works for their community - from the ground up. Climate action won't work if it's a top down, blame or shame approach.
"Our transition to a new way of doing things must be fair, it must involve everyone, and it must ensure that things will be better."
The survey, called 'Climate Change in the Irish Mind', was undertaken by the EPA and the Yale University Program on Climate Change Communication in support of the National Dialogue on Climate Action.
