Do you talk about climate change with your family and friends?
More than three in four people in Ireland say they do so “often” or “occasionally”, according to research.
Women and older adults talk about it most, according to a nationally representative study by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.
Younger adults and men talk about it less, according to Climate Change in the Irish Mind – a study which looked at Irish people’s climate change-related beliefs, attitudes, policy preferences and behaviours.
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It’s good to talk, but it’s important to act. So for all our talking, do people in Ireland understand what they can do to meaningfully reduce their carbon footprint?
Understanding of this is generally weak across the population, according to the EPA and Yale – even those who frequently discuss climate change show a mixed grasp of what they need to do differently.
Recommended affirmative actions such as retrofitting your home, fewer long-haul flights, eating less meat, recycling, driving an electric car, having reusable shopping bags – respondents were asked to rate the contribution of these to their carbon footprint.
It turns out we tend to overestimate the impact of highly visible but low-impact behaviours, while undervaluing others.
Most Irish people correctly identified that ditching long-haul flights and switching to renewable energy can have a big impact, but many of us overestimated low-impact behaviours like reusable shopping bags and energy-efficient lighting.
We also underestimated the positive impact of eating less meat, or eating a plant-based diet.
Among those who “often” discuss climate change, only three behaviours – avoiding long flights, using renewables, and eating a plant-based diet – were better understood.
How do we feel about banning turf, coal and oil for home heating? What about higher taxes on cars that use petrol and diesel?
But this group also tended to overestimate the impact of walking, cycling or home retrofitting, suggesting that greater engagement doesn’t always translate to more accurate climate literacy.
Climate change can cause extreme weather, and this can bring real consequences for us. Some 75 per cent of people in Ireland view extreme weather as a “high” or “moderate” risk to their community in the next decade, reflecting widespread concern.
This perception intensifies among those who “often” discuss climate change: 86 per cent see a risk, and 38 per cent perceive a “high risk”, well above the national average of 26 per cent.
This suggests that regular discussion not only reflects heightened concern, but may also deepen people’s awareness of climate-related risks facing their local communities, according to the research.
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People in Ireland talk a good talk when it comes to climate change, but what about our support for policy?
How do we feel about banning turf, coal and oil for home heating? What about higher taxes on cars that use petrol and diesel? Are we open to reducing the size of the national cattle herd to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
Support is closely tied to how often people discuss climate change, says the research.
On average, 58 per cent of Irish people support such policies. This support rises to 64 per cent among those who “often” discuss the topic, and falls to 48 per cent among those who “never” or “rarely” do.
There is stronger support for more demanding policies, such as banning peat, coal and oil for home heating, taxing petrol and diesel cars, and reducing the cattle herd among those who discuss climate change often – suggesting that regular conversation may both reflect and reinforce greater willingness to back ambitious climate action, the study shows.
Scientists, politicians, business leaders, religious leaders, friends – who do people in Ireland believe if they pronounce on issues related to climate change?
Scientists remain the most trusted source of climate change information, with high levels of trust being placed in the EPA (88 per cent), educators (87 per cent), and family and friends (85 per cent).
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Those who “never” or “rarely” talk about climate change consistently show lower trust across most sources, suggesting that low engagement and low trust go hand in hand.
How much we talk about climate change is linked to our knowledge of it, our trust in information sources, our perception of climate risk and our support of climate policies. So let’s keep talking.
