A total 85% of Irish adults are concerned about global warming and its implications across the country, a new poll has revealed.

The Coillte commissioned RED C poll also revealed 92% of adults agree trees clean the air we breathe by converting carbon dioxide into oxygen - and help lower global temperature increases, caused by carbon dioxide trapping heat in the atmosphere.

The vast majority of respondents (85%) believe Ireland needs to grow more trees and increase its forest cover significantly and quickly to combat global warming.

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"Trees and forests have a very important role to play in our fight against climate change," said Imelda Hurley, CEO of Coillte. "Trees and well managed forests act as a carbon sink, constantly removing carbon dioxide from the air and converting this to oxygen as the tree grows. They literally clean the air we breathe.

"Ireland has one of the lowest proportions of forest cover in the EU at just 11% and we have a long way to go to catch up with our European neighbours."

Hurley added that well managed forests have a triple climate benefit. Trees not only clean the air, they also store carbon in their trunks and branches and produce wood, an environmentally friendly substitute for the construction of homes and buildings.

Coillte as the nation's largest forest and land owner, with over 440,000 hectares or over 1 million acres is also one of the country's largest carbon sinks.