New Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) research published today (Wednesday, April 9) has revealed that farmers and the general public are "equally worried" about climate change and are both just as willing to take action to help stop it in its course.

The study, 'Perceptions of Climate Change and Policy Among Farmers and the Public in Ireland,' was carried out by the ESRI's Behavioural Research Unit and supported by the European Climate Foundation.

The research team surveyed 467 farmers across regions and farm types, alongside representative samples of urban and rural residents to record perceptions and understanding of climate change, rates of willingness to make changes and levels of support for relevant policies.

As well as concern for climate change, the majority of respondents expressed a willingness to make lifestyle changes, such as flying less, improving home energy efficiency, eating less meat, or going car-free, in a bid to tackle the effects of climate change.

Additionally, most farmers said that they consider the climate in their farming decisions and two-thirds reported being more likely than not to change how they farm in the future to help the climate.

According to the ESRI, people generally assume that others are "less worried and less willing to change" than they are themselves.

In addition, the public have a tendency to underestimate how worried farmers are about climate change.

While willingness to act is high, the study recorded significant knowledge gaps in relation to climate change.

Over a third of participants, both farmers and non-farmers, failed to list agriculture as one of the three sectors that create the most greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland, despite the fact that it is the highest emitting sector, the study claimed.

The study indicated that most farmers were also unaware of multiple climate-friendly farming practices contained in government educational materials.

The link between diets and climate change was "poorly understood", the ESRI said.

When quizzed, most people, especially beef and dairy farmers, said that switching to a hybrid car reduces personal emissions more than adopting a plant-based diet.

The report found that farmers, rural and urban residents all broadly support pro-climate policies, based on average support for 12 policies. "Very few" respondents were in opposition to all pro-climate policies.

Policies based on subsidies, such as home retrofit grants and aid for farmers adopting green technologies, were revealed to be more popular than those based on restrictions, such as taxing flights or reducing the national herd size.

Compared to non-farmers, farmers stated stronger support for subsidising farmers to take up green technology, but less support for subsidising a switch to plant-based farming or forestry, taxing meat, or reducing the national herd size, ESRI stated.

In conclusion, the ESRI said the survey indicated that "a lack of knowledge" among the public was the main problem in taking appropriate actions to combat climate change.

As well as concern about climate change, an understanding of the facts relating to greenhouse gas emissions makes people more inclined to take action to combat them.