PM backs Pachauri, expresses full confidence in IPCC process

New Delhi, Feb 5 (ANI): The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, on Friday backed UN Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) chief Dr Rajendra Kumar Pachauri and expressed full confidence in the IPCC assessment process.

Dr Singh said: "India has full confidence in IPCC leadership. Copenhagen accord is not a substitute to UN process."

Dr Pachauri is under immense pressure from Greenpeace, the world environment body to step down from his current position.

Greenpeace Director John Suaven has said that Pachauri should step down from his post as IPCC Chairman so that the body can regain its lost credibility in the wake of the 'Climategate', 'Glaciergate' and 'Amazongate' scandals.

Pachauri has made a flawed judgement by not registering the mistake on glacial melt made by the IPCC, which came to light ahead of the Copenhagen conference, Sauven added.

Meanwhile, a fresh call for Pachauri to resign came from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Executive Secretary, Yvo de Boer, who blamed him for the error in the IPCC report on Himalayan glaciers, and termed it as 'senseless'.

Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said on Thursday that the government is forming a body on climate change, since there is a feeling of betrayal following disclosures in the IPCC report. (ANI)