27 February 2010: Rajendra Pachauri, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), has issued a statement on the establishment of an independent committee to review IPCC Procedures.

In the statement, Pachauri recognizes recent criticism of the Panel’s work and the need to respond to it. He explains that the IPCC Secretariat has communicated to governments a proposal to set up an independent committee of distinguished experts to “evaluate means by which IPCC procedures must be implemented fully and [..] examine any changes in procedure that may be required.” This proposal was further discussed with representatives of governments and the UN during the 11th Special Session of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GCSS-11/GMEF) of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), which took place in Bali, Indonesia, from 24-26 February 2010.
The statement also indicates that details of the mechanism by which such an independent review of the IPCC procedures will take place are being developed and will be communicated in early March. Pachauri adds that the Panel stands “firmly behind the rigor and robustness of the fourth Assessment Report’s conclusions,” which “are based on an overwhelming body of evidence from thousands of peer-reviewed and independent scientific studies.” [IPCC Chair’s Statement]