NEW DELHI: Rajendra Pachauri today ruled out his resignation as Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change over the error in predicting the melting of Himalayan glaciers by 2035 and said the UN body will use more rigorous research systems in the future.

He rejected allegations that The Energy and Resources Institute headed by him had benefited from the conclusions of the Fourth Assessment Report of the UN body and said that the focus would now be on bringing out a "robust and credible" Fifth Assessment Report in the next four years.

"I have no intention of resigning from my position," Pachauri told a packed press conference here.

"I was elected by all the countries of the world and I have got a task. I have to complete the Fifth Assessment Report and I shall do it. And I am sure we will come up with a robust and a credible report," he said.

Pachauri admitted that concluding that Himalayan glaciers would melt by 2035 was a mistake but said it does not take away from the report's overall conclusion that glaciers in the region were receding.

"Rational people see the larger picture. And I am confident world leaders would continue to repose their faith in IPCC and there will be no deviation from that," he said.

Pachauri said there were "vested interests" at work to demolish the science of climate change. He claimed to have documentary evident of 1200 lobbyists working in the US to stop any legislation or other measures to tackle climate change.

Pachauri said the skeptics had money and support from vested interests. "They are not looking for something scientifically valid for their arguments. Finally, truth will prevail," he said.

Terming the conclusion on Himalayan glaciers as "human error", he said "we will do everything to see that such mistakes are not repeated."

The Panel, he said, would use more rigorous research systems in the future and also ensure better implementation of the same. "Our systems are very robust; all we have to ensure is better implementation. We will ensure greater consistency in the next assessment report," he said.

At one point during the 25-minute press conference he bristled at a suggestion that TERI had benefitted from the statement that Himalayan glaciers may disappear by 2035. "TERI was not involved in the mistake at all. Why bring TERI in the work of the IPCC. I think you have got your fundamentals wrong," he said.

As the questioner persisted that glaciologist Syed Iqbal Hasnain, whose 1999 media interview formed the basis of the 2035 figure, was associated with TERI, Pachauri shot back: "Well, he has been here only two years. You have to get your facts right mister. Go ahead and find out. He was at the Jawaharlal Nehru University when he made whatever statement he did."

Pachauri said the IPCC is a body of hundreds of eminent scientists selected and nominated by different governments.

"There are huge problems on climate change. Climate change is not limited to Himalayan glaciers. Rational people will continue to repose faith in IPCC," he said.

Pachauri said the IPCC will not take action against any of the authors of the report. "We have no right to take any action against any author. They are not employees of IPCC," he said.

The IPCC is under fire for having included in its 2007 report -- without proper peer review -- an assertion that glaciers in the Himalayas will disappear by 2035 due to global warming. It had retracted the statement just three days back.

Researcher Murari Lal was in-charge of editing the chapter on glaciers in the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC and had based the controversial finding on a media interview of glaciologist S I Hasnain. Pachauri said IPCC is utilising the Noble Peace Prize money for training a cadre of scientists in developing countries which would assess the problem of climate change in their respective regions.

 "There is absolutely no information available on the rate at which Himalayan glaciers are melting. It is unfortunate that there is no research on glacier melting in India or the SAARC nations. We should make a plan for proper evaluation and calculation of melting of glaciers," he added.