New data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) shows water pollution and plastic waste are among the top environmental concerns for Irish households.
The research, which analyses the attitudes and concerns of Irish households in relation to the environment, was published by the CSO to coincide with the UN Climate Conference (Cop26).
The survey sample included a mix of owner-occupied, private rented and local authority rented dwellings from every county.
According to the findings, 79 per cent of Irish households rated water pollution as a very important environmental concern while 74 per cent cited plastic waste as a top issue.
Water pollution and plastic waste were rated as our most important environmental concernshttps://t.co/hQIbVyf9HW #CSOIreland #Ireland #Environment #Energy #EnvironmentalSubsidies #EnvironmentalAccounts #Climate #EnvironmentalConcerns #EnvironmentalBehaviours pic.twitter.com/tQSXfjDx8o
— Central Statistics Office Ireland (@CSOIreland) November 1, 2021
Some 73 per cent of households would support stricter air pollution controls on industrial and energy-production activities as the most effective means of tackling problems of air quality.
However, just 29 per cent would support the introduction of traffic restrictions such as congestion charges and low emission zones in polluted cities.
If road fuel taxes went up by 10 per cent, this would prove an issue for rural households as 69 per cent said they had no alternative transport option.
Furthermore, if tax on home heating fuels was increased by 10 per cent, a significant 31 per cent of households said they would not make any energy efficiency improvements to their home.
