Head of IPCC insists science behind climate change remains valid

Dr Rajendra Pachauri, the head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), has insisted that the science behind global warming remains valid, despite recent embarrassing mistakes which has threatened to damage the organisation's credibility.

By Martin EvansPublished: 8:48AM GMT 05 Feb 2010

The IPCC faced widespread criticism after it was revealed that predictions that the Himalayan glaciers could melt by 2035 were out by around 300-years.
But speaking ahead of the biggest climate change conference, since the Copenhagen summit in December, Dr Pachauri said the mistake did not detract from the underlying message of climate change.

He told BBC Radio4's Today programme: "There is one mistake that occurred unfortunately and we have clearly accepted that, we have accepted regret that it took place but there is a huge volume of science over there, the IPCC fourth volume assessment report is a massive piece of work and I think all of what we have said over there is totally valid."
He added: "The fact is that we have clearly shown that the impacts of climate change, if you don't take action are going to become progressively serious. And it is not merely a warming of the earth's system it is also a disruption in terms of extreme events and there are some leaders in the world who have actually realised that. They are actually saying that the best way to way to get out of the current economic recession is to invest in green jobs."
Dr Pachauri also denied allegations of a conflict of interest between his position as the head of the IPCC and his role with the Teri research organisation in India.
He said any money he earned from advising companies around the world went back into Teri, which among other things, aims to provide solar power to people without access to electricity.
"Not a single penny goes into my pocket," he said.