Born in Nainital, India, Rajendra K. Pachauri (August 20, 1940) was elected chief of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2002. He has said:
- The Third Assessment Report (TAR) of the IPCC clearly states that the risks associated with climate change have the potential to undermine progress towards sustainable development, such as, damages from extreme climate events, water shortage and degraded water quality, food supply disruptions and hunger, land degradation, and diminished human health. [1]
Pachauri also serves as the head of The Energy Research Institute, a developing-country institution devoted to sustainable development.
He obtained an M.S. in industrial engineering in 1972, a Ph.D. in industrial engineering, and a Ph.D. in economics from North Carolina State University.
In acknowledgement of his environmental contributions, Pachauri was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2001 -- one of India's highest civilian awards that recognizes distinguished service to the nation.
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