On Friday, the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo announced the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a United Nations body headed by Indian environmentalist R K Pachauri, as the winner of the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize for this year. Former US Vice-President Al Gore also won the award jointly with the IPCC.

The IPCC is a UN body where more than 3,000 atmospheric scientists, oceanographers, ice specialists; economists and other experts work day and night to save the planet from the danger of climate change. IPCC is the world’s top scientific authority on global warming.

According to the report, the Nobel Committee has chosen IPCC for Nobel Peace Prize because of its efforts to build up and expand greater knowledge about man-made climate change and its impact. The IPCC has laid the foundations for the measures needed to counteract such climatic changes.

R K Pachauri, Chairman IPCC, said:

In fact, all scientists who have contributed to the work of the IPCC are Nobel laureates. To me, this award is the recognition of the role of the IPCC and that the baby (IPCC) has grown up.

It was the pinnacle of satisfaction and to the scientific community an inspiration, an encouragement that the issue of climate change has come of age. The award has given the issue of climate change the visibility it deserves. Those working in the field will feel deeply encouraged and inspired.

Pachauri said his message to India, after winning the prestigious award, to look into the science and knowledge in the IPCC reports and take action in the best interest of the Humanity. It is for government to decide what they want to do. Business and industry will work in the way it suites them, the government has to ensure coinciding business and societal interest.

The World Meteorological Organisation(WMO) and the United Nations Environment Program(UNEP) had founded the IPCC in 1988 to look into the possible risks of global warming. The panel gathers, assesses and presents scientific data on climate change in a format to make the whole world understand the changing climate and its impact on people in coming days.

Pachauri is also the director-general of the Energy Resources Institute (TERI) in Delhi. TERI is a non-profit, scientific and policy research organisation working in the field of energy and environment.

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