A NEW GOVERNMENT report has found that a “sense of urgency and understanding of individual impacts remains a challenge” to people taking climate action.

While awareness of climate change is high, the report from the Department of the Environment highlighted “barriers” people face in taking individual action.

Over 12,00 people and over 1,000 stakeholders were involved in the 2023 Climate Conversation report, as well as online public consultation among 4,061 members of the public.

The report found that there is almost “universal belief” that climate change is happening, with 96% of the Irish public saying this.

Over half (51%) hear about climate change weekly.

However, 12% wrongly believe there is uncertainty among scientists that climate change is happening – in actuality, close to 100% of the scientific community agree humans are changing the Earth’s climate, primarily through our carbon emissions.

A third also wrongly believe that climate change is caused equally by nature and humans.

Some 3% of the public meanwhile are classified as the “Doubtful” and have the lowest belief in climate change and are the least concerned and motivated.

Against there are the “Alarmed”, which makes up 36% of the population who have the highest belief in climate change and are the most concerned and motivated.

And while 91% of the public thinks “climate change is personally important”, only 22% view it as “critically important”.

Just over a third (34%) feel that climate change will severely affect them personally in the near term, while 79% believe addressing climate change should be “a high or very high priority” for the government.

While 80% believe that the Government has an important role to play in delivering climate action, only 52% see an equally important role for citizens and individuals.

There is also widespread misunderstanding of the impacts of individual changes, such as the environmental benefits of reducing meat intake or of using an Electric Vehicle.

Reducing meat consumption was a barrier for many, particularly men, with some people stating that reducing meat intake would not have a “sufficient impact” on climate change and that demand would continue to grow elsewhere.

There was also a reluctance, particularly among younger people, to fly less.

The report states that living on an island is part of this, as well as the idea of taking numerous flights annually with shorter durations becoming the norm among younger people.

Some report that they would only fly less “if they were forced to” and across climate action workshops, individuals “didn’t routinely make the connection between the numerous holidays they had booked abroad and the damage to the climate”.

Some arguments against flying less included flights departing whether they were on-board or not and that their impact was minimal when compared with celebrities and rich people travelling on private jets.

Meanwhile, living car-free and installing heat pumps were among the climate actions people were most likely to say they has no plans to do, in addition to a “sizeable proportion of the population that does not plan to change their diet significantly”.

Activities that seem to be “Dublin-centric” were also reported to alienate people in more regional and rural areas. 

And while more than half plan to install solar panels within the next year years or longer, and 46% stated an intention to move to Electric Vehicles in the dame time period, the study also shows people are worried about the cost and range of EVs and the payback on solar panels.

Climate Minister Eamon Ryan said there are “green shoots throughout the country”.

“You only have to travel around the country to see the number of solar panels going up on roofs every week to see that people will enthusiastically adopt to new greener ways,” said Ryan.

However, he added that the report also “gives us a clear insight into what we have to do to connect with people in a better way, to bring people with us as we make this transition”.

“Every aspect of climate action must be viewed through a just transition lens. If we don’t have a fair transition, it won’t be fast, and if we don’t have a fast transition, it won’t be fair for anyone.”