Concerted action is required across the board to reduce Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions and develop an economy less reliant on fossil fuels such as oil and coal, according to Sustainable Energy Ireland.
Speaking at the inauguration of Energy Awareness Week, its chief executive, Mr David Taylor, said moving to a lower-carbon economy would require more energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources.
Despite the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change, he said, Ireland's energy consumption had continued to spiral, particularly in the domestic sector, which now accounts for 28 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions.
Mr Taylor urged all consumers to become more aware of how the appliances and fuels they bought impacted on the environment. But there was also a need to increase energy production from renewable sources.
Referring to the Government's proposed carbon tax, Mr Taylor said that a well-designed tax of this kind was likely to stimulate the desired changes in energy consumption patterns by introducing a "price signal" to encourage a reduced level of demand.