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Washington, D.C. – Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight Ranking Member Paul Broun (R-GA) today sent a letter to United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, calling for an independent investigation into the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Citing recent events that have raised questions about the adequacy and implementation of IPCC policies, as well as the independence of its leadership, Broun called on the UN to immediately initiate an independent investigation and to provide recommended actions and specific protocols to eliminate or prevent further conflicts, politicization, and manipulation.
“The totality of these events has unfortunately challenged the integrity and trust of the IPCC as a whole,” Broun wrote. “Because nations depend on the IPCC to provide unbiased climate change expertise, this is clearly an untenable situation that requires your full and immediate attention in order to restore credibility to the process, the IPCC, and the UN.”
In light of the incidents outlined in the letter, in early December the IPCC announced the initiation of an investigation regarding misconduct. Unfortunately, that commitment was soon retracted when Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, Chairman of the IPCC, stated “I want to clarify that this is not an investigation.”
In the letter, Broun wrote that “While the concept of the IPCC investigating itself without any independent overview was cause enough for concern, the clear disregard for the importance and magnitude of the implications at hand is baffling.”
“The choices being made regarding climate change will have lasting effects on every nation and every person in the world,” Broun continued. “These decisions are based largely on the work conducted by the IPCC, therefore it is imperative all allegations of wrongdoing are fully investigated. Anything less calls into question the ability of those involved to be dispassionate arbiters of science.”
“With its reputation tarnished and credibility damaged, the IPCC and the UN must take proactive measures to reestablish its status as the world’s unbiased arbiter of climate science.”
A full copy of the letter can be found HERE
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