Rajendra K. Pachauri

Rajendra K. Pachauri
Nick Sundt, U.S. Climate Change Science Program U.S. Department of Commerce · Public domain · source
Name	Rajendra K. Pachauri
Birth date	20 August 1940
Birth place	Nainital
Death date	13 February 2020
Death place	The Bronx
Nationality	Indian
Occupation	Economist; Engineer; Environmentalist
Known for	Leadership of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Rajendra K. Pachauri was an Indian economist and engineer who served as chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He held academic and administrative posts in institutions such as the Tata Energy Research Institute and engaged with international organizations including the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Bank. Pachauri's tenure at the IPCC coincided with major global negotiations at venues like Kyoto, Bali, and Copenhagen, and he received multiple international awards before his career was marred by legal controversies.

Early life and education

Pachauri was born in Nainital and raised in a family with connections to Kanpur and Punjab. He completed early schooling in institutions associated with Allahabad University influences and pursued higher education abroad at North Carolina State University where he earned a doctorate in industrial engineering and economics. Earlier training included studies at Bishop Cotton School-era institutions and technical preparation influenced by curricula from Indian Institute of Technology-linked examinations and University of Delhi pathways. His multidisciplinary education linked industrial engineering, energy studies and transport planning, drawing on methodologies from Massachusetts Institute of Technology-style programs and research traditions established at Cornell University and Stanford University.

Career and contributions

Pachauri joined the Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI), a research organization connected to Tata Group, eventually becoming its director and later director-general. At TERI he expanded projects in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable development that interacted with agencies such as the United Nations Development Programme, Asian Development Bank, and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. His publications and policy engagement intersected with reports and collaborations involving International Energy Agency, World Health Organization, Global Environment Facility, and national bodies including the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (India). He advised industry players like NTPC Limited and worked with research partners at IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, Indian Statistical Institute, and international centers such as IIASA and Rockefeller Foundation-funded initiatives. His outreach encompassed participation in conferences hosted by Princeton University, Harvard University, Oxford University, Cambridge University, and presentations at forums like World Economic Forum and COP meetings.

Leadership of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Pachauri was elected chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2002, succeeding leadership from figures connected to IPCC Fourth Assessment Report processes. During his chairmanship the IPCC coordinated authors and reviewers from institutions such as NASA, NOAA, European Space Agency, Met Office, and university groups from University of Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Oxford, and Columbia University. The IPCC under his leadership released assessment reports and special reports that informed negotiations during the Kyoto Protocol implementation period and events at Bali Conference, Cancún Conference, and the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. The work involved interaction with scientists like those affiliated with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group I, Working Group II, and Working Group III, and with governmental delegations from United States, China, European Union, India, Brazil, and South Africa. The IPCC shared a Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 with Al Gore for efforts to build and disseminate knowledge about anthropogenic climate change, a recognition linked to collaborators from Hadley Centre, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and the IPCC Secretariat.

Awards and honors

Pachauri received multiple honors including national and international awards from institutions such as the Government of India (civilian honors), scientific academies including the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences-affiliated events, and prizes awarded by bodies like the World Wide Fund for Nature, Assocham, and the Economic Times. He was conferred honorary doctorates by universities including University of Cambridge-associated colleges, University of East Anglia, and Indian universities such as Jawaharlal Nehru University and Banaras Hindu University. International recognitions included medals and prizes from organizations like the Global Green Growth Institute, Stockholm Environment Institute, Zayed International Prize for the Environment, and appointments to advisory roles for the United Nations Secretary-General and panels convened by the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.

Sexual harassment allegations and legal proceedings

In 2015 a former employee of TERI filed a complaint alleging sexual harassment, initiating police investigations by the New Delhi Police and judicial proceedings in Indian courts including matter appearances in Delhi High Court. The allegations led to suspension from TERI and to Pachauri's resignation from the IPCC chairmanship, with procedures involving inquiries by the National Commission for Women (India) and actions referenced in media outlets such as BBC News, The New York Times, The Guardian, Times of India, and Hindustan Times. Legal proceedings involved charge sheets, evidence submissions, testimony before investigators, and a trial that engaged legal counsel using precedents from Indian jurisprudence; some aspects were contested and debated in forums including panels convened at Supreme Court of India-linked discussions on workplace conduct. In 2018 a court in New Delhi acquitted him of criminal charges; parallel civil complaints and institutional disputes continued to influence public and academic responses from organizations such as TERI, IPCC, and advocacy groups including Women in Global Health and Equality Now.

Later life and death

After stepping down from public leadership roles Pachauri continued involvement in advisory and research activities tied to think tanks and non-governmental institutions, interacting with entities such as the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI's rebranded identity), Centre for Science and Environment, and international consortia including ICLEI and C40 Cities. He participated in lectures at universities including Columbia University, Yale University, and regional institutes such as IIM Ahmedabad and IIT Bombay. He died on 13 February 2020 in The Bronx and his death was reported by outlets including Reuters, Associated Press, ANI, and NDTV. His passing prompted statements from scientific and policy communities including members from the IPCC Secretariat, former colleagues at TERI, and international partners from organizations such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Category:Indian environmentalists Category:1940 births Category:2020 deaths