Climate change is not necessarily a threat but may also be an opportunity for countries such as Ireland to develop technologies and solutions in which it could become a world leader.
But if action is not taken, this country could witness an increase in the frequency of extreme events such as flooding, a world authority on climate change warned yesterday.
Speaking after attending the Institute of European Affairs (IEA) Carbon Day conference in Dublin, Dr Rajendra K Pachauri, chairman of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said nuclear energy was a "serious option". But he doubted whether Ireland needed to develop this area.
"I frankly think you need to carry out a detailed assessment of where your comparative advantage lies in terms of specific technological opportunities and then go after that in a big way, so that you really become world leaders in that," he told The Irish Times.
"If you have to cut down on emissions, it is not something that will happen painlessly for everyone. But then the option of not doing anything is so fraught with negative impacts . . . it is far better for a country like Ireland to sort of set an example and move along with the rest of the world." On the nuclear question, he said it was not possible to "wish nuclear away".
"Nuclear is a serious option. And I think one has to look at it very carefully and see where it has a place," he said. "I'm not too sure whether Ireland needs to go into nuclear because you're a country of four million people . . . I'm not too sure whether you need to go for nuclear." Dr Pachauri, who also met Taoiseach Bertie Ahern yesterday, said there may be as little as eight years "to allow emissions to increase globally, and then make sure they start declining.
"That really doesn't give the world too much time," he said.
Referring to Irish-based research presented at yesterday's conference, he said: "I suppose there would be implications for the management of water, because the precipitation patterns are certainly going to change . . . There could be implications in terms of changes in temperature which could have an effect on agriculture and sea-level rises."
He said US president Bush's plan for 15 major nations to agree by the end of 2008 on a global target for cutting greenhouse gases was a "pleasant surprise".
"I'm very happy President Bush made these announcements . . . I think it is the start of a dialogue," he said. However, he also emphasised the need for the right policy frameworks to help bring new technologies from laboratories to the wider population.
Last February, the IEA established a working group of some 50 Irish experts to analyse the implications of climate change here beyond 2012.
"I think the role [ of Ireland] has to be a multiple one. I mean you certainly need to convince others to take action," Dr Pachauri said. "But one major way by which you compel others would be to do things yourself."