United Nations, Oct 7 (IANS): UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the election of a new head of the UN climate science panel.

The Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) elected Lee Hoesung of South Korea as its chairman on Tuesday. He will guide the panel's work on assessing the science related to climate change, Xinhua reported.

Ban in a statement reaffirmed his support for the IPCC's role in supplying decision-makers and the public with "the world's most authoritative scientific understanding of climate change, including its impacts as well as solutions".

The secretary-general looked forward to the IPCC's new leadership at this critical moment when governments are preparing for the global climate change conference in Paris later this year, said the statement.

Lee, aged 69, is professor in the economics of climate change, energy and sustainable development at Korea University's Graduate School of Energy and Environment. He is currently one of the IPCC's three vice-chairs.

The IPCC, set up in 1988, is the world body for assessing the science related to climate change.

It has been endorsed by the UN General Assembly to provide policymakers with regular assessments of the scientific basis of climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation.