PM backs Pachauri, says India has confidence in IPCC

Backing R K Pachauri, who has come under flak for IPCC's goof up on melting of Himalayan glaciers, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said he has earned well deserved respect and international acclaim for his contribution in meeting challenges of climate change.

India has full confidence in the IPCC process and its leadership and will support it, he said inaugurating the 10th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit, while noting that, "some aspects of the science that is reflected in the work of IPCC have faced criticism".

"The Energy Research Insitute, TERI, has, under the able and farsighted leadership of Pachauri earned well-deserved respect and international acclaim for its contributions to the global efforts in meeting the twin challenges of energy security and climate change," he said.

Nobel laureate Pachauri, who has been under attack from various quarters over the IPCC's 2007 report on Himalayan glaciers, has already ruled out his resignation saying that the mistake was "unfortunate" and he would go ahead to complete the Fifth IPCC Assessment Report.

Regretting the absence of global consensus on climate issues, the Prime Minister asked industrialised countries to respond with bolder initiatives to contain their future emissions.

He also asked the developed nations to recognise "more clearly" their historical role in the accumulation of green house gases.