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A new study from the Economic and Social Research Institute found that many people do not understand how choices they make affect climate change, especially when it comes to food and transport.
The study of 1,200 people, funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, found many people try to reduce their carbon footprint but continue to misunderstand the impact of their behaviours and choices.
Over 80% of respondents reported having a car but one fifth of them did not identify driving as a source of carbon emissions.
However, 40% said they had reduced emissions from transport, mainly by driving less often.
Another 25% said they would like to reduce their transport emissions but cannot, mostly because they do not have access to public transport.
On the other hand, 30% of respondents said they saw no need to change their transport behaviour.
The study also finds many people do not yet understand how food choices affect climate change.
When invited to list which everyday behaviours contribute to their carbon footprint, just one in 25 adults mentioned their diet.
References to food were also more likely to be about where it came from or how it was packaged, rather than whether meals contain foods linked to high emissions, such as red meat.
It also found one quarter of people said they had changed what they eat to reduce their carbon footprint.
A slightly larger proportion, 27%, reported that they would like to change what they eat but cannot, mostly citing cost and not knowing what to eat as the biggest difficulties.
However, the largest group, 47%, did not see a need to change what they eat.
In the study, respondents completed online diaries about their day and then listed the actions they thought mattered most for their carbon footprint.
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