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Survey Question Wording

Model estimates in the maps were derived from public responses to the following survey questions selected from the full Climate Change in the Irish Mind questionnaire. The response categories for many questions were collapsed into a single variable for mapping.

In other cases, the proportion picking a choice that best represents their views from a list will be presented. For example, for the question measuring how worried respondents are about climate change, “Very worried” and “Somewhat worried” were combined into a single measure of “Worried.”

The responses and question segments that have been used in the maps below have been placed in tables and use an orange colour to indicate how they were grouped into positive variables on the maps and a blue colour for negative (“oppose”) variables. These are only visible on the bar charts below the maps. Categories that are not shown or answers that were not used like “Don’t know” were not modelled separately and are greyed out.

Worry About and Personal Importance of Climate Change

How worried are you about climate change?

Question: How worried are you about climate change?
Response options

Inclusion on Map:

Yes/no/merged

Inclusion on bar chart:

Yes/no/merged

Bar chart colour

Very worried

Yes, merged

 		  Yes, merged  

 

 

Somewhat worried

Not very worried

No

 Yes, merged     

Not at all worried

 No 

 

How important is the issue of climate change to you personally?

Question: How important is the issue of climate change to you personally?
Response options

Inclusion on Map:

Yes/no/merged

Inclusion on bar chart:

Yes/no/merged

Bar chart colour

Extremely important

Yes, merged

 		  Yes, merged  

 

 

Very important

Somewhat important

No

 Yes, merged     

Not too important

 No 

Not at all important

 No

  

Climate Change Risk Perceptions

How much do you think climate change will harm…

Question: How much do you think climate change will harm….?
Sub-question used:Response options

Inclusion on Map:

Yes/no/merged

Inclusion on bar chart:

Yes/no/merged

Bar chart colour

You personally
  • A great deal

Yes, merged

 		  Yes, merged  

 

 

Future generations
  • A moderate amount

People in Ireland
  • Only a little

No

 Yes, merged     
  • Not at all
 No 

Climate change is already harming people in Ireland

Question: When do you think climate change will start to harm people in Ireland?
Response options

Inclusion on Map:

Yes/no/merged

Inclusion on bar chart:

Yes/no/merged

Bar chart colour

They are being harmed now

Yes, merged

 		  Yes, merged  

 

 

In 10 years

In 25 years

No

 Yes, merged     

In 50 years

 No 

In 100 years

 No
Never No

 

Worry About Extreme Weather and Other Hazards

Climate change is affecting weather in Ireland

Question: Which of the following statements best reflects your view?
Response optionsInclusion on map:
Yes/no/merged		Inclusion on bar chart:
Yes/no/merged		Bar chart colour

Climate change is affecting weather in Ireland

 Yes Yes  

Climate change is not affecting weather in Ireland

 No Yes, merged

Climate change isn’t happening

 No

Don’t know 

 No  No   

Future climate change worries 

Question: In your opinion, over the next 10 years how much risk does extreme weather pose to your community?
Response optionsInclusion on map:
Yes/no/merged		Inclusion on bar chart:
Yes/no/merged		Bar chart colour

High risk

 Yes, merged Yes, merged

Moderate risk

Low risk

 No Yes, merged   

No risk 

 No 

Present climate change worries 

Question: How worried are you that the following might harm your local area?
Sub-question usedResponse optionsInclusion on map:
Yes/no/merged		Inclusion on bar chart:
Yes/no/merged		Bar chart colour

Flooding
  • Very worried
 Yes, merged Yes, merged

Wildfires
  • Somewhat worried

Water shortages
  • Not very worried
 No Yes, merged
 

Rising sea level
  • Not at all worried 
 No 

Severe storms

  

Water pollution

 

 

Effect of Taking Action on Climate Change

Think climate action will improve economy and provide new jobs 

Question: Overall, do you think that taking action to reduce climate change will…
Response optionsInclusion on map:
Yes/no/merged		Inclusion on bar chart:
Yes/no/merged		Bar chart colour

Improve economic growth and provide new jobs

 Yes Yes  

Reduce economic growth and cost jobs

 No Yes

Have no effect on economic growth or jobs

 No No  

Think climate action will improve Ireland's quality of life 

Question: Overall, do you think that taking action to reduce climate change will…
Response optionsInclusion on map:
Yes/no/merged		Inclusion on bar chart:
Yes/no/merged		Bar chart colour

Improve Ireland’s quality of life

 Yes Yes  

Reduce Ireland’s quality of life

 No Yes

Have no effect on Ireland’s quality of life?

 No No  

 

Who Should Do More on Climate Change?

Ireland has a responsibility to act on climate change 

Question: Now I will read you two statements. Neither may be perfect, but please let me know which comes closer to your point of view.
Response optionsInclusion on map:
Yes/no/merged		Inclusion on bar chart:
Yes/no/merged		Bar chart colour

We have a responsibility to act on climate change, and Ireland
should do what it can to reduce its own greenhouse gas emissions.

 Yes Yes  

Ireland is too small to make a difference in climate change;
we should let other countries take the lead on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

 No Yes, merged

 

Climate change is not happening

 No

Climate change should be a priority of the Government of Ireland

Question: Do you think climate change should be a very high, high, medium, or low priority for the Government of Ireland?
Response optionsInclusion on map:
Yes/no/merged		Inclusion on bar chart:
Yes/no/merged		Bar chart colour

Very high

 Yes, merged Yes, merged  

High

Medium

 No Yes, merged  

Low

 No

Who should do more about climate change

Question: I am going to read a list of people and organizations who could take action regarding climate change. Do you think each of the following should be doing more or less to address climate change?
Sub-question used:Response optionsInclusion on map:
Yes/no/merged		Inclusion on bar chart:
Yes/no/merged		Bar chart colour

Citizens
  • Much more
 Yes, merged Yes, merged  

Businesses
  • More
 
  • Currently doing the right amount
 No No  
 
  • Less
 No Yes, merged  
 
  • Much less
 No

 

Support for Climate-Related Policies

Support or opposition for government policies on fossil fuel taxes

Question: To help address climate change, taxes on fossil fuels will be rising in Ireland over the next 10 years. How much do you support or oppose using the revenues from these taxes for each of the following purposes?
Sub-question used:Response optionsInclusion on map:
Yes/no/merged		Inclusion on bar chart:
Yes/no/merged		Bar chart colour

Assisting workers in the fossil fuel industry who may lose their jobs
  • Strongly support
 Yes, merged Yes, merged  

Supporting the further development of new clean energy
sources such as marine and hydrogen power
  • Somewhat support

Funding improvements to Ireland’s transport infrastructure
such as rail, bus corridors, and cycling and walking paths 
  • Somewhat oppose
 No Yes, merged   

 
  • Strongly oppose
 No

Support or opposition for policies to help Ireland achieve its greenhouse gas reduction targets

Question: How much do you support or oppose the following policies to help Ireland achieve its greenhouse gas reduction targets?
Sub-question used:Response optionsInclusion on map:
Yes/no/merged		Inclusion on bar chart:
Yes/no/merged		Bar chart colour

Banning peat, coal and oil for home heating purposes
  • Strongly support
 Yes, merged Yes, merged  

Government grants to encourage residential and commercial
building owners to install cleaner and more efficient heating systems
  • Somewhat support 

Government grants to make electric vehicles more affordable 
  • Somewhat oppose
 No Yes, merged   

Increased Government investment in public transport
such as trains instead of motorways 
  • Strongly oppose
 No

Higher taxes on cars that use petrol and diesel 

   

 

Intentions to Engage in Climate Action

Intention to reward companies for taking climate action

Question: Over the next 12 months, do you intend to buy a good or service from a company because they have taken steps to reduce climate change …
Response options Inclusion on map:
Yes/no/merged		 Inclusion on bar chart:
Yes/no/merged		 Bar chart colour

More frequently than you are now

 Yes Yes  

Less frequently than you are now 

 No Yes   

About the same as you are now

 No No  

 

Climate Change Beliefs and Knowledge 

Know a lot about climate change

Question: How much do you know about climate change? Would you say you …
Response options

Inclusion on Map:

Yes/no/merged

Inclusion on bar chart:

Yes/no/merged

Bar chart colour

Know a moderate amount about it

Yes, merged

 		 Yes, merged

 

 

Know a lot about it

Know a little about it

No

 Yes, merged     

Have never heard of it

No

Do you think climate change is happening?

Question: Do you think climate change is happening?
Response options

Inclusion on Map:
Yes/no/merged

Inclusion on bar chart:
Yes/no/merged

Bar chart
colour

Yes

Yes

 Yes 

 

No

 No  Yes, merged    

Don't know

No

Most scientists think climate change is happening

Question: Which of the following statements comes closest to your own view?
Response options

Inclusion on Map:

Yes/no/merged

Inclusion on bar chart:

Yes/no/merged

Bar chart colour

Most scientists think climate change is happening

Yes

  Yes 

 

There is a lot of disagreement among scientists
about whether or not climate change is happening

 No  Yes, merged  
 		    

Most scientists think climate change is not happening

No

Don’t know enough to say

 No 

Climate change is mostly caused by human activities

Question: Assuming climate change is happening, do you think it is…
Response options

Inclusion on Map:

Yes/no/merged

Inclusion on bar chart:

Yes/no/merged

Bar chart colour

Caused mostly by human activities

Yes

  Yes 

 

Caused mostly by natural changes in the environment

 No  Yes, merged     

Caused about equally by human activities and natural changes

No

Something else

 No  No   

None of the above because climate change is not happening

 No No  

Know that Ireland's agricultural sector is the largest pollution source

Question: For this next question, I’m going to read you a short list of possible answers and will ask you to pick one. To the best of your knowledge, which one of the following sectors is Ireland’s largest source of the pollution that causes climate change? If you’re not sure, please provide your best guess.
Response options

Inclusion on Map:

Yes/no/merged

Inclusion on bar chart:

Yes/no/merged

Bar chart colour

Agriculture

Yes

  Yes 

 

Transport

 No  Yes, merged       

Energy industries, including power generation and oil and gas refining

No

Residential household and water heating

 No 

Waste such as landfills, incinerators, and composting

 No 

Climate change is not happening 

 No  No