Climate Icon Bites the Dust

NEW DELHI: Accused of harassment by his 29 years old Associate Researcher, Rajendra K Pachauri, the Chairman of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), has decided to come down from his post. He had been heading the Organisation since 2002. His second term was due to expire in October later this year.

He wrote in resignation that he had been thinking about stepping down from his post since last year.

IPCC is a world body formed in by World Meteorological Organisation (WMD) and United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), in1988 to make regular assessments about scientific, technical, and socio-economic aspects of the climate change on Earth. Its fifth assessment report (AR5) was finalised in 2014.

Ismail El Gizouli, the Vice President of IPCC, was designated as the acting Chairman of the body as per the procedures of the organisation.

"The designation of Gizouli follows the decision by Rajendra K Pachauri, PhD, to step down as Chairman of the IPCC effective today. The decision to name Gizouli was taken at a Session of the Bureau ahead of the 41st Session of the IPCC, which is being held on 24-27 February 2015", said an official statement from the IPCC.

Pachauri has decided to relieve himself “for the time being”, from the responsibility of heading The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) as well. He is a Director General of the body and also the Chairman of its Governing Council. Among the members of the body are top corporate like Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Deepak Parekh, Naina Lal Kidwai, and Hemendra Kothari.

It is learnt according to an interview given to Indian Express by Parekh that “Some members advised him to step down for a while. I understand he has gone on leave now. There was a governing council meeting some time back. Though I did not attend it, I understand this issue (sexual harassment charge) was not on the agenda,”

Mazumdar-Shaw, another member of the body said, “There is greater awareness of sexual harassment and every organisation has to deal with it. These are issues where due processes are to be followed. He has to take moral responsibility and decide what is right for TERI,” to the same source.

The 75 years old, under whose chairmanship IPCC won the Nobel Prize for Peace, came under the cloud of infamy after an associate researcher, who worked under him, accused him of harassment, which she was subjected to during her short tenure of two years. She is believed to have joined him in September 2013 and Pachauri’s impassioned affection for her, if we go by the conversation exchange between them since made public, started in that very month.

According to a report published in Daily mail, the woman is said to have told Police that when she joined office she was in awe of him. But her reverence soon turned into revulsion as “repeated requests for a romantic and physical relationship” from him became a routine.

“All his actions and words towards me had underlying sexual overtones.... over phones, emails, and messages” says the FIR according to the same report.

Accused of harassment by his 29 years old Associate Researcher, Rajendra K Pachauri, the Chairman of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), has decided to come down from his post. He had been heading the Organisation since 2002. His second term was due to expire in October later this year.

He wrote in resignation that he had been thinking about stepping down from his post since last year.

IPCC is a world body formed in by World Meteorological Organisation (WMD) and United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), in1988 to make regular assessments about scientific, technical, and socio-economic aspects of the climate change on Earth. Its fifth assessment report (AR5) was finalised in 2014.

Ismail El Gizouli, the Vice President of IPCC, was designated as the acting Chairman of the body as per the procedures of the organisation.

"The designation of Gizouli follows the decision by Rajendra K Pachauri, PhD, to step down as Chairman of the IPCC effective today. The decision to name Gizouli was taken at a Session of the Bureau ahead of the 41st Session of the IPCC, which is being held on 24-27 February 2015", said an official statement from the IPCC.

Pachauri has decided to relieve himself “for the time being”, from the responsibility of heading The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) as well. He is a Director General of the body and also the Chairman of its Governing Council. Among the members of the body are top corporate like Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Deepak Parekh, Naina Lal Kidwai, and Hemendra Kothari.

It is learnt according to an interview given to Indian Express by Parekh that “Some members advised him to step down for a while. I understand he has gone on leave now. There was a governing council meeting some time back. Though I did not attend it, I understand this issue (sexual harassment charge) was not on the agenda,”

Mazumdar-Shaw, another member of the body said, “There is greater awareness of sexual harassment and every organisation has to deal with it. These are issues where due processes are to be followed. He has to take moral responsibility and decide what is right for TERI,” to the same source.

The 75 year old, under whose chairmanship IPCC won the Nobel Prize for Peace, came under the cloud of infamy after an associate researcher, who worked under him, accused him of harassment, which she was subjected to during her short tenure of two years. She is believed to have joined him in September 2013 and Pachauri’s impassioned affection for her, if we go by the conversation exchange between them since made public, started in that very month.

According to a report published in Daily mail, the woman is said to have told Police that when she joined office she was in awe of him. But her reverence soon turned into revulsion as “repeated requests for a romantic and physical relationship” from him became a routine.

“All his actions and words towards me had underlying sexual overtones.... over phones, emails, and messages” says the FIR according to the same report.