Awareness on Climate Change

In December 2015, leaders of over 190 nations are gathering in Paris to discuss a possible new global agreement on Climate Change during the two sessions planned-

• 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and
• 11th session of the Meeting of the Parties (CMP 11) to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.

In connection with this, a special awareness campaign has been launched in India by way of Science Express Climate Action Special (SECAS).

This innovative mobile science exhibition mounted on a 16 coach AC train, is a joint initiative of the three ministries-

• Ministry of Railways,
• Ministry of Science and Technology & Ministry of Earth Sciences, and
• Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

and it was flagged off by the Honorable Ministers of these three partnering Ministries on 15th October, at 12 noon from New Delhi.

This Science Express Climate Action Special (SECAS) aims at creating awareness among various sections of the society, especially youth, students and teachers, on how Climate Change can be combated through mitigation and adaptation. The state‐of‐the‐art exhibition will travel across the country, for about 8 months, halting at 64 locations in about 20 states, covering about 19,500 km. It is open to visitors from 1000 hrs till 1700 hrs and the entry is free.

The Science Express intends to contribute towards increasing the understanding of the science of climate change, the observed and anticipated impacts, and possible responses. The exhibition will convey a strong message about Climate Change and will also be a good opportunity to generate dialogue and discussion on the impact of climate change and possible strategies on mitigation and adaptation for enhancing sustainability of India’s development path. It will also put forth India’s action, and the role of civil society, in combating Climate Change.

The broader content of the SECCS exhibition includes:

• The Science of Climate Change
• What is ‘Climate’, Causes of Climate Change
• Development processes, Society and Climate Change
• Mitigation and Adaptation in Climate Change
• National and state level actions - schemes and programmes
• International Responses - Policies at the global level
• India’s position in international negations, its understanding
• Use of Science & Technology for mitigation and adaptation
• Use of Science & Technology for sustainable production and consumption
• Biotechnology for Bio resources and Nature Conservation
• Recent advances through Biotechnology Applications

Of the 16 coaches of SECAS, the exhibitions in 8 coaches have been devoted exclusively for information, case studies and material related to various aspects of Climate Change, the underlying science, impacts, adaptation activities, mitigation solutions and policy approaches in a manner that is easy to understand and interesting for not just school students but also the masses.

The broad themes covered in each coach are as follows:

• Coach 1 - Understanding Climate Change: The physical science of climate system, climate change‐ its causes & history‐ the industrial revolution and the concept that all systems are connected.
• Coach 2 - Impacts of Climate Change: Introduction to the concept of ecosystem services, Climate Change impacts on selected ecosystems and sectors, and ways to reduce these.
• Coaches 3 & 4 - Adaptation: Concepts of adaptation and examples from day‐to‐day life, adaptation strategies and stories from the field. Various national, state and local level actions and adaptation programmes and their links with national strategies and international actions.
• Coach 5 - Mitigation - Restoring Nature‘s Balance: The concept and definition with examples from everyday life, emphasis on restoring balance, enhancing sinks (carbon stores) and reducing emission through renewable energy (RE) technologies.
• Coach 6 - Mitigation - India‘s action: Various national, state and local level action and adaptation programmes that have been implemented by India and how these are linked with national strategies and international actions, besides low carbon strategies and the ambitious goal to increase RE footprint.
• Coach 7 - International Climate Change Negotiations: Introduction to UNFCCC, IPCC and internationally agreed action & targets. Explaining the concept of equity and common but differential responsibility, Polluter Pays Principle, Kyoto Protocol and other key outcomes of Major COP, introduction to Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC), etc.
• Coach 8 - Handprint: What can one do at the school, on roads, at home and in offices and focus on the concept of lifestyle choices.

The rest of the train will have exhibitions on various themes like

• wildlife and nature conservation work being carried out by different research institutions across India,
• India‘s development in the field of Biotechnology,
• innovations in science and technology,
• DST scholarships & schemes, and
• careers in science and technology.

At every halt of the SECAS, activities are planned in advance to engage visitors across different age groups to reinforce its message. An exciting and much sought-after Outreach Program will also be conducted in local schools/institutions, along with activities on the railway platforms. In addition, informative take‐away material will be made available for wider distribution amongst schools and visitors. A theme song to promote the train, and spread its message, is also being developed.

To know the details of the planned dates at different locations/stations, please click http://www.sciencexpress.in/tour.html.

Let us take this opportunity to know more about Climate Change and play our role as an individual in combating Climate Change.

Courtesy: www.envfor.nic.in