Climate change boards train to sensitize people

New Delhi: Ahead of the global environment summit in Paris, India on Thursday flagged off a train that would travel about 19,500 km across 20 states to sensitize people on climate change.

Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, and Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan jointly showed the green signal to the 16-coach train 'Science Express - Climate Action Special' Afrom Safdarjung railway station here.

"When the world is discussing climate change, India is leading the world into climate action with by running a train on climate change which will exhibit and sensitize people (on climate change). It's the world's first mass education programme on wheels through exhibition," Javadekar said.

About 62 lakh students and people were expected to visit it, he said, adding a similar exhibition would also be provided on the platform for the convenience of the people to avoid huge queues and rush inside the train.

The train, which will halt at 62 stations during the next eight months, will exhibit special issues related to climate change, including adaptation, mitigation, and nature conservation.

In his address, Prabhu said that climate change was a big cause of concern globally and there was a need to take concerted action to address all environment-related issues.

He said it was necessary to create awareness among people about climate change issues which affect the lives of people in a big way.

Vardhan said that each and every citizen should continuously work to reduce global warming, adding his ministry was working towards building clean solar energy solutions for the railways.

On October 2, India in its climate action plan pledged to cut emission intensity by 33-35 percent over the next 15 years.

The action plans of different countries would serve as the basis of negotiating an agreement, applicable to all countries, with an aim of keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius during the crucial 21st meeting of the Conference of Parties on Climate Change due in Paris from November 30 to December 11.