Pachauri defends producing 121.1 tons of carbon dioxide in air travel

London, Feb. 6 (ANI): UN climate chief Dr Rajendra Pachauri has expressed his helplessness in preventing the production of 121.1 tons of carbon dioxide during more than half a million miles of air travel in eighteen months.

"I really have one area where unfortunately I am guilty of a pretty large carbon footprint, and that is in terms of travel. That is something that unfortunately I can't do anything about because I have to spread the message," The Telegraph quoted Dr Pachauri, as telling a UN publication last September.

"I have to go all over the world and I have to convince people that this is a serious problem that we have to address. But in terms of my personal lifestyle, I'm very careful about not being consumptive in my habits," he added.

Earlier, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has been embroiled in issuing an erroneous warning on Himalayan glaciers.

During his international trips, Dr Pachauri urged people to eat less meat, pay aviation taxes and even ban giving iced water in restaurants, reports.

Documents available on IPCC website showed that between January 2007 and July 2008, he took more than 120 long-haul flights and 43 short-haul trips, taking in countries such as New Zealand, America and Fiji.

Dr Pachauri's trips would have produced 121.1 tons of carbon dioxide, according to calculations by ClimateCare, a carbon offset provider.

It is estimated that the average Briton produces around 8.6 tons of carbon dioxide a year, while the average Indian produces just over one ton. (ANI)