By Joleen Murphy
9 in 10 adults in the South East agree that the environment is a valuable asset for the people of Ireland.
A survey carried out by the Environmental Protection Agency has been published which highlights key activities throughout 2020.
It also found that 84 per cent of people felt access to nature was important for their mental health in 2020.
4 in 5 people in the South East took steps to help protect the environment in 2020.
That's according to a new survey conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency which also found 3 in 5 adults used less fuel for transport during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The report highlights that people felt access to nature was important for their mental and physical health.
Speaking to Beat News Communications Manager with the EPA Niamh Hatchel explains more.
“It is extremely encouraging to see that so many people have personally taken steps to help the environment, as engaging the public on environmental issues is key to the EPA.
"This underlines the importance of the work we do throughout the year. The monitoring and reporting activities of the EPA remained in place, and even increased in many areas, despite the ongoing pandemic.
"The EPA plays a key role, on behalf of the State, in monitoring threats, informing the public and enforcing regulatory measures and our Year in Review 2020 highlights progress in several areas.
54 per cent of those surveyed placed climate change as one of the top three environmental concerns facing Ireland.
