TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen has said that no sector of Irish society would be immune from the profound economic challenges posed by climate change.
“We have to begin the transition to a low-carbon economy and start changing how we create and use energy,” he said.
“The changes involved will be profound and will impact significantly on the structure of the economy. No sector, organisation or individual will be immune.”
Mr Cowen was speaking at a meeting of the Climate Change Leadership Forum, which he chaired in Government Buildings yesterday.
Participants included Government Ministers who are members of the Cabinet subcommittee on climate change, and representatives of a wide range of organisations and agencies from the environmental, non-governmental, energy, agriculture, business, transport and trade union sectors.
Mr Cowen said he had invited leaders from different areas of Irish society to the forum because of the importance of the issue. He said that Ireland needed to identify the most cost-effective measures for meeting the targets set out by the EU.
The principal aim is to achieve a 20 per cent reduction in greenhouse emissions and a 20 per cent contribution by renewables to energy needs by 2020 throughout the European Union.
“This requires engagement and rational debate by all stakeholders as we identify and adopt solutions,” said Mr Cowen.
At the meeting, Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan emphasised that the measures needed to be taken in a sensible and cost-effective manner.
“In the current economic climate it will be hard to convince people of the need for action. However, we need to reinforce the message that climate change policy can be consistent with good economics if it encourages energy efficiency and reduces our dependence on expensive and finite fossil fuels.”
Minister for the Environment John Gormley said that opportunities would arise for business but that businesses needed to lead the transition to a low-carbon economy.