Rajendra Pachauri: Climate expert resigns over harassment claim
Dr Pachauri claims hackers are responsible for sending the messages
Your support helps us to tell the story
As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.
Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.
Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election
![Head shot of Andrew Feinberg](https://static.independent.co.uk/static-assets/support-us/andrew-feinberg.png)
Andrew Feinberg
White House Correspondent
Rajendra Pachauri, the chairman of the world’s top climate change science body, the IPCC, has resigned following allegations of sexual harassment by a 29-year-old researcher.
Dr Pachauri, 74, strongly denies the claims, but said he was stepping down with immediate effect so as not to serve as a distraction in a crucial year for climate change negotiations.
“The IPCC needs strong leadership and dedication of time … which under current circumstances I may be unable to provide,” Dr Pachauri wrote in his resignation letter.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is the UN body charged with assessing developments in climate change science. Dr Pachauri is accused by a female researcher at the think-tank he runs in Delhi of repeated inappropriate behaviour, both physically and through emails, texts and WhatsApp messages.
He has denied all charges, claiming that he was the victim of hacking by criminals who accessed his computer and phone to send the messages, in an attempt to malign him.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments