A keynote speaker at a conference in Dublin today has said Ireland should invest in research into environmental problems to offset damage to the future competitiveness of the economy.
Dr Joachim Spangenberg of the Sustainable Europe Research Institute said although the Irish environment is cleaner than the European average, it is "threatened in a number of aspects, which goes against the trends in the rest of Europe".
Speaking at the "Pathways To A Sustainable Future" conference organised by the Environmental Protection Agency, Dr Spangenberg said: "In recent times the Irish economy has experienced rapid growth and unfortunately environmental problems such as waste, emissions and climate change, can arise as a direct result.
"Investing in research now, while the problems are still manageable, will be a lower cost option with long-term benefits.
"Waiting until the problems become more obvious and relying on business as usual will increase the costs significantly, compromising the future competitiveness of the economy," Dr Spangenberg said.
The two-day conference will comprise some 40 presentations and 70 poster displays.