Climate change this year's Science Express theme

The Science Express -- a special train that travels around India annually to spread awareness on the country's unique biodiversity -- will this year focus on climate change, Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar said on Wednesday.

The 16-coach train also spreads awareness on climate change, water, energy conservation and related issues among various sections of the society, especially students.

Javadekar chaired the first meeting of the Science Express Climate Change Special (SECCS) here, attended by Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan and Minister of State for Science and Technology Y.S Chowdhary to discuss the "overall contours" of the project.

"We have taken many positive steps on climate change and we want to present this to the country through this science express," Javadekar said.

"Today, we met to discuss the overall contours of the subject and the way in which it should be presented. The meeting elicited various suggestions, including involving state governments in a big way, as well as involving children, volunteers and experts from various institutions of the ministry," he added.

The Science Express is a joint initiative of the railways and environment ministries as well as the department of science and technology and was launched in October 2007.

Last year's theme was biodiversity.

The next meeting of the SECCS will be held in Ahmedabad on July 17-18.