Half of Irish people are highly concerned about the potentially disastrous effects of global warming, a major European Commission survey confirmed today.
Almost 90 per cent of people believe the country's energy habits are having a negative impact on climate change.
The Eurobarometer survey revealed huge backing from Irish people for renewable power.
The vast majority of people, 94 per cent, said they wanted minimum targets set for the amount of power generated from resources such as wind, tidal and solar energy. Almost half think the government should subsidise these energy efficient solutions.
EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said Europeans were now demanding political action to stem carbon emissions into the atmosphere. "Climate change is happening. The EU must use this political momentum in order to put Europe and the world on the path to a more energy secure and low carbon future," he said.
Some 88 per cent of Irish people polled believe the country's current energy habits were negatively impacting on climate change and almost four in ten thought the impact was big.
Half of those surveyed said they were "very much" concerned about global warming, with another 34 per cent concerned to some degree.
More than nine out of every ten Irish people asked believed they would have to change their daily habits within the next decade as part of the fight against environmental disaster.
The research was released as the Government unveiled its Bioenergy Action Plan for Ireland, branded as a significant move to tackle renewable energy policy in an integrated and holistic manner.
Minister for Natural Resources Noel Dempsey said the strategy for energy efficiency in hospitals and public buildings, tighter building regulations, an emphasis on bio-fuels and new rules for power stations will cut carbon dioxide emissions by two million tonnes a year.
But the Green Party insisted the Government approach didn't go anywhere near bringing about the scale of change necessary.