First, on recent extreme events:
"Frankly, it is difficult to take a season or two and come up with any conclusions on those on a scientific basis," Dr Pachauri said.When given a chance to opine on Austalia's climate politics, he took pass:
"What we can say very clearly is the aggregate impact of climate change on all these events, which are taking place at much higher frequency and intensity all over the world.
"On that there is very little doubt; the scientific evidence is very, very strong. But what happens in Queensland or what happens in Russia or for that matter the floods in the Mississippi River right now, whether there is a link between those and climate change is very difficult to establish. So I don't think anyone can make a categorical statement on that."
[W]hen it came to commenting on the state of Australian politics and climate change, Dr Pachauri played a straight bat literally.
Anticipating questions about whether Australia was doing enough, he said he had rehearsed his lines.
"Australia is not doing enough in cricket. About climate change, I just can't say."
He said the IPCC was "doing what we can" in relation to concerns about its reputation.
"We . . . are focused on producing the best possible reports that we can. It is really up to governments to take actions that are in their best interests and society at large."
