Chairman of UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change visits NZ

Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Dr Rajendra K Pachauri will give a public seminar this Friday, 9 May 2003, in the Michael Fowler Centre from 12.00-2pm, on climate change and how the world could move towards a more sustainable future.

Dr Pachauri is the first developing-country expert to head the IPCC, a global organisation which is the main science advisory body to the United Nations (therefore on the Kyoto Protocol and what steps the world could take to delay global warming and climate change).

He will talk about climate change and its impacts, energy and energy consumption, future emissions scenarios, progress on global climate change policy and equity, technology options in the power generation sector, and win-win greenhouse gas mitigation options across energy-related sectors.

"This is a great opportunity for people to hear about climate change and what we can do about it from an expert in the field," says Robert Whitney, CRL Energy CEO and Chairman of the Energy Federation of New Zealand which is sponsoring the seminar. "Climate change is clearly one of the major challenges of the 21st century and the IPCC is an authoritative source of information on climate change that we have to take seriously."

Dr Pachauri will hold his position as IPCC Chair for six years and served as Vice Chair from October 1997 to April 2002. He is also Director-General of the Tata Energy Research Institute in New Delhi. The Institute's activities cover the fields of energy, environment, forestry, biotechnology, and resource conservation, and it provides professional support to governments, institutions, and corporates worldwide.

The seminar takes place in the Renouf Foyer at the Michael Fowler Centre and costs $25 (plus GST). People wanting to register should email: mailto:energy.fed@xtra.co.nz

For more information: Claire Harman New Zealand Climate Change Office Email: mailto:claire.harman@mfe.govt.nz

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