Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions in 2010 could be up to four times higher than the legally-binding target of 13 per cent accepted in Luxembourg last year by the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey.
Mr Pablo Benavides, director-general for energy at the European Commission, said Irish emissions of the gases blamed for causing climate change could increase by between 40 per cent and 60 per cent because of economic growth.
This would happen under a "business-as-usual" scenario without specific measures being taken to reduce emissions, Mr Bena vides told a cross-Border conference on energy, environment and sustainable development, hosted by the ICTU.
He said achieving a cleaner environment was "not an optional extra for Ireland". Energy demands would have to be balanced with environmental concerns, with particular attention given to growing traffic congestion and local pollution.
Under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, the EU must achieve an 8 per cent cut in its greenhouse gas emissions overall by 2010, compared to 1990. Through "burden-sharing" between member-states, Ireland is permitted to increase its emissions, but only by 13 per cent.
Mr Benavides said an increase of 40 to 60 per cent would represent a substantial overrun on the Kyoto target and "conveyed the urgency of addressing the environmental consequences of economic growth", especially in the transport and electricity sectors.
Ms Geraldine Tallon, assistant secretary at the Department of the Environment, said Ireland's national target of 13 per cent was achievable with domestic action alone, though this would be painful for some sectors, such as heavy industry.
Prof John Chesshire, a British energy consultant, said there were no easy "technical fixes" for climate change.
Dealing with it would require consistent economic and environmental regulation and this would represent an enormous challenge.
Ms Sadhbh O'Neill, of Earth watch, said removing subsidies on fossil fuels such as oil and gas, which were estimated to be worth $235 billion in 1992, had to be a cornerstone of any "no regrets" policies aimed at reducing greenhouse emissions.
The Minister for the Environment, in his opening speech, told the conference that Ireland's Kyoto target was ambitious, "but it is only a small beginning towards the deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions that will be needed to reverse the threat of climate change".
He said the national greenhouse gas abatement strategy, which he is preparing for Government approval, would affect all sectors. Domestic action would be the primary way to meet Kyoto targets, but Ireland may also avail of international "emissions trading".
Mr Dempsey stressed that the fiscal system must contribute more towards achieving sustainable development. While some elements of "green taxation" were introduced in last December's Budget, he said, the Minister for Finance intended that this option, which might include on energy and fuels, would be addressed in the discussions on the successor to Partnership 2000.
Mr Des Geraghty, vice-president of SIPTU, said it was unequivocally in favour of energy taxes to shift burden from labour to resources, as the ESRI had proposed, and the trade unions intended to take a lead in highlighting the need for sustainable development.
Mr Paddy Walley, the economics consultant who organised the conference, said the fact that ICTU had taken the initiative in hosting it, and that its attendance of 250 included more than 70 trade unionists, showed the issue was now firmly on their agenda.
