A GOVERNMENT-commissioned opinion poll shows an overwhelming majority are concerned about the impact of climate change in Ireland and back the punitive measures proposed to reduce carbon emissions.
The research shows that 82 per cent are concerned about global warming and believe it will affect weather, the economy as well as their own health, safety and financial well-being.
The opinion poll was commissioned by the Department of the Environment and carried out by the market research company, Behaviour and Attitudes.
The survey was carried out during March of this year with interviews conducted with a representative sample of 1,000 adults.
Its principal findings were disclosed by Minister for the Environment John Gormley last night, when he delivered the final lecture in the Environmental Protection Agency's series of seven public lectures on climate change.
The findings show dramatically high levels of support for tough measures to tackle climate change, including carbon taxes on fuels that are damaging to the environment.
There is near unanimous support for new stricter building standards. Some 96 per cent approved of measures that newly built homes were built to the best possible energy efficiency levels.
Likewise, 81 per cent of those surveyed agreed with the introduction of carbon taxes on fuels that are more damaging to the environment. These fuels would include petrol and home-heating oil.
A similar proportion (78 per cent) approved of the principle underlying the budget announcement in December that motor tax is set so that cars with higher carbon emissions will cost more.
There were similar approval levels (77 per cent) for the new policy of pricing vehicle registration tax according to Co2 emissions.
More than four out of five respondents also approved of an energy rating system for households.
Moreover, Mr Gormley's plan to ban traditional incandescent light bulbs by 2009 has met with high approval ratings: 81 per cent agreeing with the move, with only 16 per cent disagreeing.
The survey also reveals that a large majority (86 per cent) believe the Government was not doing enough on climate change.
In his response to this finding, Mr Gormley implicitly suggested the Government was doing enough. "This is a worrying reflection on our effectiveness in communicating the changes we are making. However, and more encouragingly, it indicates a public acceptance of the need for more action and an appetite for further initiatives," he said.
During his address, Mr Gormley said that overall, the research indicates that most people were aware of climate change and accepted the seriousness of the assessments made by scientists.
He pointed to other findings that showed almost total agreement with the proposition that the world's climate is changing, with three-quarters of respondents attributing this change to human behaviour. Some 22 per cent, however, believed it was as a result of natural causes or phenomena.
"People are looking for leadership and action from government," he said.
