A NEW STUDY has found that rural and urban dwellers are share equal concern about the impacts of climate change and are willing to take action to help stop it.

More than 460 farmers across regions and farm types were surveyed by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) alongside representatives from urban and rural residents and recorded their understanding of climate change.

The results, published this morning, have found that the majority of all groups worry about the impacts that the changing climate may have and are willing to make lifestyle changes to combat it.

All of those surveyed by the ESRI shared a broad support for pro-climate policies, with legislation based on subsidies – such as grant schemes for retrofitting and assistance payments for farmers – being most-popular among the groups.

Dr Lucie Martin, the lead author of the report, said that experts and policy makers must recognise that pro-climate views are held by a large majority and that negative narratives that emphasise vocal opposition creates division.

Martin claimed, based on today’s research, that that division is created in the absence of facts.

Most farmers told researchers that they consider the climate in their farming decisions, with two-thirds of them saying they would change their farming behaviours in the future to help the climate.

A previous survey, conducted last year, found that very few were willing to change their behaviour to combat the impacts of climate change, but believed the government were not doing enough to tackle the issue.

Today’s report says otherwise, as the findings record a high level of willingness among most participants to act but suggest that knowledge of the topic is poor, particularly on issues such as diet and transport.

Experts at the Behavioural Research Unit in the ESRI conducted the study, which concludes that a lack of knowledge about climate issues is a contributing factor in the willingness to act.

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Along with having concerns over the impacts of climate change, understanding the basics about greenhouse gas emissions was found to make the cohort more willing to take action towards reducing them.

Professor Pete Lunn, the head of the Behaviour Research Unit, stressed the importance of knowledge about climate change in the context of action.

“A clear statement from the government about diet and emissions is needed,” Lunn said. “We could start by publicising how following current healthy eating guidelines is good for the planet’s health as well as your own.”