Climate change, not terrorism, is today's most serious global threat, EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas warned in Dublin last night.
Mr Dimas was speaking on the first day of a two-day trip to Ireland during which he is warning the Government of the consequences of its failure to meet the targets set at Kyoto for greenhouse gas emissions.
In a series of meetings with Minister for the Environment Dick Roche yesterday, he stressed that Ireland's excessive emissions in the 2005-2008 period would result in a reduced emissions allowance for Ireland from 2008 on.
Ireland is one of a number of EU member states failing to meet its targets.
Speaking to the Irish Society of European Law last night, Mr Dimas said last year had been the warmest recorded since 1860, according to the North American Space Agency (Nasa). The five warmest years had all occurred since 1997. Climate change was happening, he said. Ocean levels were rising and Alpine glaciers were melting.
"The question we need to ask ourselves is not if the current situation will get worse, but what we can do to limit the temperature increases to manageable levels. The world's climate experts project a further increase of between 1.4 degrees Celsius and 5.8 degrees Celsius by the end of this century. Even the lower of these figures would represent the fastest warming since the last Ice Age ended 10,000 years ago.
"In short, the impact of climate change could be catastrophic. If it is not stopped, we will witness the equivalent of a slow-motion, never-ending tsunami that hits the whole planet. We cannot avoid all of the negative impacts. They are already happening. But if we act decisively, then we at least have a chance of limiting the damage."
He said the EU was on course to meet its Kyoto target of an 8 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990 levels. These were currently 5.5 per cent below the 1990 levels, in contrast to the situation in the United States, where they were 16 per cent above 1990 levels.
"If we look at the big picture the most serious global threat that we are facing is climate change and not terrorism. The challenges are considerable but the policy tools and the technologies are already available to move to a low-carbon future. There are cost-effective solutions if we act now."
He said the EU was determined to continue "leading from the front" in reducing its own emissions and in pushing for global action. "And I believe that when the public understands the realities and the risks of climate change then they will fully support - indeed they will insist upon - a dynamic response from their political leaders."
Mr Dimas also inaugurated Ireland's first automated Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment processing plant, which will be capable of processing up to 30,000 tonnes of equipment, including large volumes of discarded "white goods" such as fridges and other appliances.
The €10 million facility at Dublin's Park West was built by TechRec Ireland Limited, and will employ up to 50 people.