Climate Change Survey Shows Concern

The results of a climate change survey commissioned by the Department of the Environment show that more than half of the respondents (57%) believe that making changes to their lifestyle will help to reduce climate change.

The report – the second in an occasional series – attempts to summarise people’s attitudes and perceptions towards climate change in Northern Ireland. The first report was published in September 2009, and this report provides an update based on a second survey that took place in January 2012.

The main concerns for people include; increased energy costs, an increase in the number of severe weather events, increased flooding, damage to natural environment and wildlife, a more polluted atmosphere, and increased food costs.

The most common actions that respondents have taken to combat climate change include; recycling as much as possible; switching off lights and having low energy light bulbs installed in their homes.

Since 2009, there have been notable improvements in the number of respondents installing loft insulation; turning down their heating; growing some of their own food and making fewer car journeys.

Sixty-one per cent of respondents believe that a combination of human activity and natural processes is to blame for climate change, with only 3% saying that climate change did not exist. However, fewer people now think that human activity on its own is the main cause of climate change, falling from 22% in 2009 to 17%