Climate Conversations 2024 Report

The Climate Conversations 2024 ran for eight weeks from May to September. Almost 2,000 people took part via an online survey. Key sections of this public consultation focused on climate literacy and emotions, perceptions of responsibility and effectiveness, understanding about climate impact, as well as levels of community involvement.

As part of the National Dialogue Climate Action (NDCA), the Climate Conversations programme is a cornerstone of Ireland's strategy to engage citizens in shaping the nation's climate policies. By participating, citizens contribute directly to the development of the Climate Action Plan, ensuring that policies reflect diverse viewpoints and address the concerns of all demographics.

The findings from 2024 suggest:

• Rising Climate Concerns and Emotional Frustration: Respondents expressed even greater worry about climate change in 2024 than in 2023, with increasing concerns regarding perceived harm to other people and future generations. Frustration was the main feeling reported.
• High Importance of Collaborative Climate Action in Ireland: The Irish Government, the EU, and Business and Industry were similarly seen to play a highly important role when it comes to delivering climate actions.
• Various Sources used to Obtain Information on Climate Change: Newspapers and online news were still the main source of information about climate change, with webinars/conferences and podcasts mentioned to a greater extent in 2024.
• Misconceptions Surrounding Carbon Emissions Reduction: Misconceptions about the impact of various actions on reducing carbon emissions persisted. Notably, there was an increased tendency to underestimate the benefits of electric vehicle adoption and to overestimate the effects of reducing food waste and recycling.
• Existing Community Engagement in Climate Action is Evident: 6 in 10 respondents reported being involved in a community organisation in their local area across a variety of activities, with just over half of them saying this work involved climate action.
• Further Capacity within Communities: Among those not currently involved in community climate action, there was substantial interest in participation, expressing interest in growing their own food in community gardens, active mobility initiatives, and in circular economy projects such as repair and reuse activities

More detailed findings are contained in the report below. Building on the efforts of the Climate Actions Work Programme in 2024, the findings of the report further enhance our understanding of the current and potential role of community engagement in combating climate change. The report makes several recommendations, including the establishment of community climate hubs modelled on successful examples elsewhere, addressing misperceptions about electric vehicles, and enhancing cross-government collaboration on climate initiatives.