Copenhagen, Dec 7 : The recent leak by climate sceptics of a partial exchange of e-mails between scientists in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has become serious enough for IPCC chief Rajendra Pachauri to take on the issue at the inauguration of the UN summit here Monday.

The small minority that says climate change is not something to worry about had recently leaked parts of an e-mail sent by a University of East Anglia scientist suggesting that climate change effects should be exaggerated.

Reacting to this, Pachauri said: "Given the wide ranging nature of (climate) change that is likely to be taken in hand some naturally find it inconvenient to accept its inevitability. The recent incidents of stealing the e-mails of scientists at the University of East Anglia shows that some would go to the extent of carrying out illegal acts perhaps in an attempt to discredit the IPCC."

But Pachauri came stoutly to the defence of the organisation he has been heading since 2001, saying it has "a record of transparent and objective assessment stretching over 21 years performed by tens of thousands of dedicated scientists from all corners of the globe".

"The internal consistency from multiple lines of evidence strongly supports the work of the scientific community, including those individuals singled out in these e-mail exchanges, many of whom have dedicated their time and effort to develop these findings."

Pachauri assured his audience: "The IPCC assessment process is designed to ensure consideration of all relevant scientific information from established journals with robust peer review processes, or from other sources which have undergone robust and independent peer review."(IANS)