Apologetic IPCC chief Pachauri switches to neutral climate advisory role

London, Mar. 27 (ANI): Rajendra Pachauri, the chairman of the UN-sponsored Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), is to adopt a neutral advisory role and has agreed to stop making statements demanding new taxes and other radical policies on cutting emissions, The Times reports.

In an interview with The Times, Pachauri, apologised for the IPCC's handling of complaints about errors in a report on climate change affecting Himalayan glaciers.

He also apologised for describing as "voodoo science" an Indian Government report that challenged the IPCC's claims about the rapid melting of Himalayan glaciers.

But, Dr. Pachauri, 70, rejected calls for his resignation and insisted he would remain as chairman until after the publication of the IPCC's next report in 2014.

He claimed he had the support of all the world's governments and denied that, by remaining in post, he was undermining the IPCC's chances of regaining credibility with the public.

"It is not correct to say there are people who don't trust me," he said.

He admitted it had been a mistake to give the impression, in many interviews, that he was advocating specific actions to cut emissions.

Last year, he called for higher taxes on aviation and motoring, said people should eat less meat, and proposed that hotel rooms should have electricity meters to charge people extra for using air conditioning.

Speaking in London yesterday, he said he would focus in future on presenting the science on climate change rather than advocating policies.

"I will try to clarify that I'm not prescribing anything as a solution. Maybe I should be more careful [in media interviews] in laying down certain riders. One learns from that and I'm learning."

Dr. Pachauri said he wanted more power over the IPCC secretariat and an extra one million dollarsa year to fund its work, on top of the five million dollars it already receives.

He said the IPCC is planning to recruit more spin-doctors to help it promote its work and defend itself against attacks by climate sceptics. (ANI)