Irish people believe climate change a bigger threat to world than build-up of nuclear arms

Citizens in Ireland, along with Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Finland, and Sweden, believe the climate crisis is the most serious problem in the world currently. Picture: AP /Petros Giannakouris

The overwhelming majority of European people believe climate change is a serious threat to the world, with Irish people believing it is the most pressing global issue.

A survey of more than 26,000 EU citizens found 93% believe the threat is real — a contrasting picture to that on social media sites, like Twitter and Facebook, where climate denial and scepticism about the scale of the climate crisis are now rife.

The Eurobarometer survey found a third of citizens in the EU bloc feel climate change has now impacted their daily lives, mostly in the southern European states under the cosh from the recent Cerberus heatwave that has engulfed the continent.

Some 93% say they are consciously making sustainable choices in their daily lives but want national governments (56%), the EU (56%), and business and industry (53%) to lead the fight as well as individuals taking action.

Citizens in Ireland, along with Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Finland, and Sweden, believe the climate crisis is the most serious problem in the world currently.

Three-quarters of people in the EU believe the cost of the damage caused by climate change is much higher than the cost of investing in a green transition, while two-thirds believe their own national governments are not doing enough to tackle the climate crisis.

In the context of energy spikes attributed to factors such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine, just 12% of people across the EU believe more fossil fuels should be used during the crisis and that the transition to the green economy should be slowed down.

More than 1,000 Irish citizens were interviewed for the survey.

Most of those surveyed put climate change alongside a lack of drinking water and armed conflicts as the biggest threat to the world, while more believe a loss of nature is a bigger threat than the deterioration of democracy, the spread of infectious diseases, or nuclear arms proliferation.

Executive vice-president for the European Green Deal Frans Timmermans said: "European citizens understand the threat of climate change... They recognise the long-term risks posed by the climate and biodiversity crises but also the opportunity that we have to build a brighter, healthier and safer future if we act now on the green transition. 

The survey is a "powerful reminder" that popular support for the European Green Deal remains as high as ever, he said.

"It is up to politicians and decision-makers to heed that call," Mr Timmermans added.