Say What?! After Wishing Skeptics Would Rub Asbestos on their Faces, UN IPCC’s Pachauri Now Declares he is ‘not deaf’ to skeptics; Says IPCC ‘should welcome vigorous debate!’

Climate Depot Editorial

In a stunning reversal, beleaguered UN IPCC Chairman Rajendra Pachauri is now claiming he has nothing but respect and acceptance for skeptics of man-made global warming claims.

Pachauri, in a June 15, 2010 BBC commentary, declared “I am not deaf to those who do not agree with the scientific consensus on man-made climate change.” Pachauri also added: “The IPCC and the scientific community at large should welcome the development of a vigorous debate on the science of climate change.”

Oh really?

Is this the same Pachauri who declared global warming skeptics “flat-earthers” in 2008? See: Flashback 2008: There is, even today, a Flat Earth Society that meets every year to say the Earth is flat. The science about climate change is very clear. There really is no room for doubt at this point.

Is this the same Pachauri who smeared veteran Indian glaciologist and prominent global warming skeptic V K Raina? See: Flashback Jan. 2010: Glaciologist demands apology from Pachauri for ‘voodoo’ smear remark

Pachauri’s new found respect for scientific dissent and openness is in marked contrast to his wish in February 2010 that skeptics would “apply asbestos to their faces every day.” See: Flashback Feb. 2010: UN IPCC’s Pachauri Unhinged?! Wishes Skeptics Would Rub Asbestos on their Faces! ‘I hope that they apply it (asbestos) to their faces every day’

Pachauri pulled no punches on dissenters of the UN IPCC climate claims. Skeptics “are people who deny the link between smoking and cancer; they are people who say that asbestos is as good as talcum powder – I hope that they apply it to their faces every day…I’m totally in the clear. I have absolutely nothing but indifference to what these people are doing,” Pachauri said in a February 3 2010 interview with the Financial Times.

Pachauri has a very long consistent history of smearing skeptics. Here are but a few examples:

Flashback Nov. 2009: UN IPCC Chair Pachauri in panic — accuses Indian skeptics of ‘arrogance — attempts to smear scientist who dares to challenge UN IPCC

Flashback March 2009: UN IPCC’s Pachauri: ‘Deniers of climate change have been lying in wait…the moment this opportunity arose they’ve decided to strike and since then they’ve been on a rampage’

UN IPCC’s Pachauri: ‘We risk descending into a new Dark Age where ideology trumps reason’

Flashback 2006: Morano Debates Pachauri at UN Conference in Kenya —