IRISH PEOPLE have become more aware about climate change in the last year, with two-thirds now telling EU surveyors that they are well informed about the ways to tackle global warming, up 7 per cent on 2008.
Although lagging behind Sweden, the most environmentally conscious nation in Europe with an 83 per cent awareness rate, the Irish score of 66 per cent is significantly higher than the EU average (55 per cent), the latest Eurobarometer survey says.
Any notion that people in Ireland are less concerned about the environment than their European counterparts also takes a knock, as the survey found Irish citizens ranked fourth highest for making a personal contribution to fighting climate change.
Nearly three-quarters (74 per cent) of people here are taking action of some kind, with only citizens of Sweden, Britain and Slovenia being more engaged, according to the survey of 26,718 citizens throughout the EU, carried out in January and February.
Despite the economic crisis, 58 per cent of Irish people still feel that climate change is one of the most serious problems facing the world and 68 per cent think that taking measures to deal with it would have a positive effect on the economy and create jobs.
The survey also showed that women and young people in Europe are more likely to consider climate change a serious problem. Men, over 55s and those with “right-wing” political views and lower levels of education are least likely to be concerned.
G8 leaders pledged to cut global emissions by 80 per cent by 2050 at last week’s summit in Italy.
