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ENVIRONMENT ECOLOGY.......................................................................................... 3
ECOLOGY ................................................................................................................... 3
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM .................................................................................. 18
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM ........................................................................................... 29
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AND OTHER ISSUSES .................................... 38
HEALTH ISSUES .................................................................................................. 52
EFFORTS TO CONTROL POLLUTION ................................................................ 54
RENEWABLE ENERGY AND NON RENEWABLE ENERGY ................................ 58
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT.......................................................... 64
BIODIVERSITY ............................................................................................................ 67
BIODIVERSITY ................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
ANIMAL BIODIVERSITY ......................................................................................... 70
PLANT BIODIVERSITY ........................................................................................... 77
MARINE ORGANISM\ ............................................................................................. 83
PROTECTED AREA NETWORK .............................................................................. 86
CONSERVATION EFFORT ...................................................................................... 90
RED BOOK ............................................................................................................... 101
CLIMATE CHANGE ................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
CLIMATE CHANGE ............................................................................................... 106
OCEAN ACIDIFICATION ....................................................................................... 109
OZONE DEPLETION.............................................................................................. 109
IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ........................................................................... 111
MITIGATION STRATEGIES ................................................................................... 112
CLIMATE CHANGE ORGANISATION .................................................................. 122
INDIA AND CLIMATE CHANGE ............................................................................127
AGRICULTURE....................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
AGRICULTURE ...................................................................................................... 136
CONSERVATION EFFORTS ..................................................................................... 148
NATIONAL PARKS AND SANCTUARIES ............................................................. 148
ACTS AND POLICIES ............................................................................................. 166
INSTITUTION AND MEASURES ...........................................................................176
REPORTS ................................................................................................................ 192
INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS ................................................................................ 198
ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS ................................................................ 216
INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONVENTIONS .................................... 225
ENVIRONMENT ECOLOGY
ECOLOGY
a) 1A, 2B, 3C
b) 1C, 2B, 3A
c) 1B, 2C, 3A
d) 1A, 2C, 3B
Correct Answer : A
Justification:
Some of the examples of indicator species are given below.
Mosses: some moss species indicate acidic soil. Delicate mosses found on
rocks and trees in cities around the world can be used to measure the
impact of atmospheric change and could prove a low- cost way to monitor
urban pollution.
The “bioindicator” responds to pollution or drought-stress by changing
shape, density or disappearing, allowing scientists to calculate
atmospheric alterations
Lichens: some species indicate low air pollution. Lichens as a group have a
worldwide distribution and grow almost on any surface, for example soil,
bark, roof tiles or stone. Because lichens get all their nutrients from the
air, many species are very sensitive to air pollution.
Solution : A
Justification :
For e.g. while two fishes may carry similar genes, but they exhibit different
colours on their fins due to being in different habitat.
It is the living organism as a whole that contributes (or not) to the next
generation, so natural selection affects the genetic structure of a
population indirectly via the contribution of phenotypes.
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 2 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Justification:
4. Humus is the dark organic matter that forms in the soil when plant and
animal matter decays.
1) It contains nitrogen that is essential for plant growth and helps in nutrient
retention.
2) It contributes to moisture retention in the soil by increasing
microporosity.
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
1) The continuous loss of energy due to metabolic activity puts limits on how
much energy is available to higher trophic levels.
2) There is loss of energy at each trophic level in being transferred to the
higher trophic level.
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
So, the ecotone contains not only species common to the communities on
both sides; it may also include a number of highly adaptable species that
tend to colonize such transitional areas Ecotones may display edge effect
where the population density of some species is more in ecotone than
adjoining communities.
If different species can survive in both communities of the two biomes,
then the ecotone is considered to have species richness that may be
greater than adjoining communities.
Statement 2: It is not necessarily true. For e.g. an ecotone with desert and
lake junction will not have a higher productivity than an estuary
ecosystem.
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : D
Justification: As per the Millennium Eco Assessment it is an index of the
area of productive land and aquatic ecosystems required to produce the
resources used and to assimilate the wastes produced by a defined
population at a specified material standard of living, wherever on Earth
that land may be located.
Ecological footprint analysis is widely used around the Earth in support of
sustainability assessments.
It can be used to measure and manage the use of resources throughout the
economy and explore the sustainability of individual lifestyles, goods and
services, organizations, industry sectors, neighborhoods, cities, regions
and nations.
In 2013, the Global Footprint Network estimated the global ecological
footprint as 1.6 planet Earths. This means that, according to their
calculations, the planet's ecological services were being used 1.6 times
faster than they were being renewed.
9. Depending upon the amount of net primary productivity the various
ecosystems can be arranged in a decreasing sequence of yield. Which of
these is the correct order?
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
a) Algae provides shelter, water and minerals; and fungus provides food
b) Fungus provides shelter, water and minerals; and algae provides food
c) Fungus provides minerals and bacteria provides decayed matter fungi
d) Bacteria provides protection against parasites; and algae provides food
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
1) Cotton cloth
2) Ball-point pen refills
3) Glass objects
4) Silver Foil
a) 1, 2 and 3 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 2, 3 and 4 only
d) 1 and 4 only
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
a) Community
b) Ecosystem
c) Biome
d) Biosphere
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 1, 2 and 3
d) 2 and 3 only
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
a) Area of land that is used to grow feed for animals within a country
b) The proportion of built-up land as against the unused land
c) The percentage of land to grow crops to the non-crop land
d) Amount of land that is needed to produce a product by an organization
or a nation
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
1) One should learn to live in harmony with the rhythms of the ecosystem
2) Humans should not manipulate the natural environment to serve their
immediate interests
3) There is no way Humans can preserve or restore the nature to its
undisturbed form
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1 only
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Justification: S1 and 2: Environmentalists maintain that human beings
should learn to live in harmony with the rhythms of the ecosystem and not
manipulate the natural environment to serve their immediate interests.
They believe that mankind is using up and destroying natural resources to
such an extent that we will bequeath only a barren earth, poisoned rivers
and polluted air to future generations.
The roots of environmentalism can be traced back to the nineteenth
century revolt against industrialisation.
S3: It does not say that we cannot restore the environment.
It is an attempt to balance relations between humans and the various
natural systems on which they depend in such a way that all the
components are accorded a proper degree of sustainability.
a) Laterite soils
b) Black soil
c) Alluvial soil
d) Soils of temperate forests
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
The thick brown or black substance that remains after most of the
organic litter has decomposed is called humus. Earthworms often
help mix humus with minerals in the soil.
Humus contains many useful nutrients for healthy soil. One of
the most important is nitrogen.
Answer Justification :
decomposition.
21. Mangrove forests can be found in which of the following river deltas?
1) Ganga-Brahmaputra
2) Mahanadi
3) Godavari
4) Krishna
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2, 3 and 4 only
c) 1 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
a) Tundra region
b) Lake Baikal
c) Western Himalayan forests
d) Ganges River
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Some of the major biomes of the world are: forest, grassland, desert and
tundra biomes
25. In terms of self sustenance and endurance, which among the following is
the most stable ecosystem?
a) Forest
b) Desert
c) Ocean
d) Mountains
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
The evolutionary history has also been more stable than in terrestrial
environments.
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
27. The Oak trees of the Himalayan region are a concern to the region because
a) 4 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 1, 2 and 4 only
d) 2 and 3 only
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Learning: These forests are found in areas where the rainfall is between
100cm to 200 cm.
They are found in the states of Jharkhand, West Orissa and Chhattisgarh.
Moist Deciduous Forests are also found on the eastern slopes of the
Western Ghats.
Teak trees are the most dominant species of trees found in these forests.
Bamboos, sal, shisham, sandalwood, khair, kusum, arjun, mulberry are
some of the other commercially important species found here.
29. Desert plants have which of the following adaptations for survival?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Answer Justification :
For e.g. the Mundas and the Santhal of Chhota Nagpur region
worship mahua and kadamba trees.
a) Eastern Himalayas
b) Central India
c) Western Himalayas
d) Both (a) and (c)
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Answer Justification :
a) Reduce transpiration
b) Increase rate of water flow from roots to shoots
c) Cut down the need for photosynthesis
d) Increase the area of the leaves to step up glucose intake
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Answer Justification :
Winters are cold and dry. Temperatures vary between 5°C and 10°C
and July is the coldest month. Summers are short and warm.
Learning: The velds have rich reserve of minerals. Iron and steel
industry has developed where coal and iron are present. Gold and
diamond mining are major occupations of people of this
region.Johannesburg is known for being the gold capital of the
world. Kimberley is famous for its diamond mines.
35. Mosses and lichens together are most likely to be found in which
climatic zone?
a) Tropical
b) Temperate
c) Tundra
d) Desert
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Answer Justification :
The common trees are oak, ash, beech, etc. Deer, foxes, wolves are
the animals commonly found. Birds like pheasants, monals are
also found here.
a) Climate
b) Political boundaries
c) Drainage patterns
d) Altitude
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM
38. The Ocean/Sea that has the most coral species is?
a) Pacific Ocean
b) Atlantic Ocean
c) Indian Ocean
d) Mediterranean Sea
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
a) 1, 3 and 4 only
b) 2 only
c) 2 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Justification: Statement 1: Corals are invertebrate animals belonging to a
large group of colourful and fascinating animals called Cnidaria. Other
animals in this group that you may have seen in rock pools or on the beach
include jelly fish and sea anemones.
Statement 2: Each individual coral animal is called a polyp, and most live
in groups of hundreds to thousands of genetically identical polyps that
form a 'colony'. The colony is formed by a process called budding, which is
where the original polyp literally grows copies of itself.
Over the course of many years, stony coral polyps can create massive reef
structures. Reefs form when polyps secrete skeletons of calcium carbonate
(CaCO3).
Statement 3 and 4: Coral are generally classified as either "hard coral" or
"soft coral". There are around 800 known species of hard coral, also
known as the 'reef building' corals.
Soft corals, which include seas fans, sea feathers and sea whips, don't have
the rock-like calcareous skeleton like the others, instead they grow wood-
like cores for support and fleshy rinds for protection.
Soft corals also live in colonies, that often resemble brightly coloured
plants or trees, and are easy to tell apart from hard corals as their polyps
have tentacles that occur in numerals of 8, and have a distinctive feathery
appearance.
Statement 4: It is true that Corals are usually found in warm waters absent
at the poles, but Soft corals are found in oceans from the equator to the
north and south poles, generally in caves or ledges.
40. Wetlands are the vital link between land and water. What is/are the
importance of wetlands?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2, 3 and 4 only
c) 1, 3 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Wetlands are a critical part of our natural environment. They protect our
shores from wave action (because they form a critical link between land
and water), reduce the impacts of floods, absorb pollutants and improve
water quality.
They provide habitat for animals and plants and many contain a wide
diversity of life, supporting plants and animals that are found nowhere
else.
Wetlands function as natural sponges that trap and slowly release surface
water, rain, snowmelt, groundwater and flood waters.
Wetlands also provide important benefits for industry. For example, they
form nurseries for fish and other freshwater and marine life and are
critical to Australia's commercial and recreational fishing industries.
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Justification:
Learning: Apart from the above food web, Krills are considered an
important trophic level connection – near the bottom of the food chain –
because they feed on phytoplankton and to a lesser extent zooplankton,
converting these into a form suitable for many larger animals for whom
krill makes up the largest part of their diet.
42. Consider the following statements. Coral reefs
1) Break the power of the waves during storms, cyclones and tsunamis
2) Form the spawning and nursery grounds for several fish species
3) Are being used in the treatment of cancer
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
a) Sundarbans delta
b) Reservoirs of the Deccan Plateau
c) Gulf of Kachchh
d) Khasi and Jaintia region
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
45. The world’s biggest single structure made by living organisms which is
also a World Heritage site is
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Learning: The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system
composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for
over 2,300 kilometres over an area of approximately 344,400 square
kilometres.
The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia.
The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world’s
biggest single structure made by living organisms.
This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms,
known as coral polyps. It was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981.
1) These support fish production by providing them with food and shelter.
2) They control the concentration of carbon dioxide in the lower atmosphere
and in the sea water.
3) They check sea waves against going towards sea coasts.
4) They have the highest primary productivity amongst all ecosystems.
a) 1, 3 and 4 only
b) 1, 2 and 3 only
c) 2 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
47. Tamil Nadu govt in collaboration with IIT Madras has been restoring Vaan
Island in Gulf of Mannar by deploying
a) Kelp forests
b) Dune barriers
c) Artificial reefs
d) Coarse seabed raisins
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
48. Which of the following is most likely to survive in deep ocean waters?
a) Green Algae
b) Red Algae
c) Brown Algae
d) Yellow Algae
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Justification: Light is a limiting factor for life in deep oceans. Not all the
colour components of the visible spectrum are available for marine plants
living at different depths of the ocean.
Sunlight is broken into its seven component colours as it penetrates
through the ocean water by dispersion. Longer wavelengths cannot
penetrate deeper whereas shorter wavelengths do.
Algae use photosynthesis to manufacture food. So, the ones utilizing the
short wavelength for photosynthesis survive.
Red algae have red pigment (phycoerythrin) which carries out
photosynthesis using only short wavelength light found in greater depths.
They can be found as deep as 200 m in ocean water.
49. If patches of green are seen amidst huge bodies of water, that signals presence of
phytoplankton. A large such patch would signify that the
Answer Justification :
Most phytoplankton are buoyant and float in the upper part of the ocean, where
sunlight penetrates the water.
50. It is the largest coastal lagoon in India and the largest wintering ground for
migratory birds on the Indian sub-continent. A wetland of international
importance under the Ramsar Convention, it is
a) Vembanad Lake
b) Chilka Lake
c) Kolleru Lake
d) Sultanpur Lake
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Learning: In 1981, Chilika Lake was designated the first Indian wetland of
international importance under the Ramsar Convention due to its rich
biodiversity as shown by the facts that:
Over a million migratory waterfowl and shorebirds winter here. Several rare and
endangered species are found in the region.
The lake supports fisheries that are the lifeline of the community.
The lake is of great value in preserving genetic diversity.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AND OTHER ISSUSES
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
1) Photosynthesis in plants
2) Textile fibres
3) Children due to risk of acute respiratory diseases
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 2 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
54. What is/are the differences between a primary pollutant and a secondary
pollutant?
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1 and 3 only
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
1) Sulphur oxides
2) Tropospheric ozone
3) Volatile organic compounds
4) Peroxyacyl nitrates
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
56. Large scale deforestation in a forest can cause fertility of soil to decline.
Why?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1 only
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) None of the above
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
58. Among the following, maximum land in India has been degraded to
wasteland due to
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Major factors are loss of top-soil due to water erosion; land
degradation due to acidity; vegetal
degradation with water erosion; and gully formation.
a) 1, 2 and 3 only
b) 1, 4 and 5 only
c) 2 and 5 only
d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Statement 5: The movement of water from the soil surface into the ground
(infiltration rate) is reduced due to increased surface run off as water is
not stopped.
60. Burning coal generates fly ash which contains several toxic pollutants.
These include
1) Lead
2) Zinc
3) Arsenic
4) Plutonium
5) Cadmium
a) 1, 2, 3 and 5 only
b) 2, 3 and 5 only
c) 1, 4 and 5 only
d) 1, 2 and 3 only
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
61. Forest fires can cause which of the following adverse impacts on the
environment?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 only
d) 1 and 3 only
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Justification: The Union environment ministry has banned the
manufacture and import of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and directed
complete prohibition on its use in any form by the end of 2025.
What are PCBs?
PCBs are synthetic organic chemicals that were initially accepted as an
important industrial breakthrough for various usages, but were later
found to be highly toxic, leading to demands for a ban on it or reducing its
use.
They were used in the manufacture of electrical equipment, heat
exchangers and other materials.
Issues
The government’s decision is in line with the Stockholm Convention,
under which signatory countries are to prohibit or take necessary legal and
administrative measures to eliminate the production and use of PCBs.
India signed it in 2002.
PCBs are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and are recognised by the
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as Group 1
carcinogens or cancer-causing substances.
Studies have also found that exposure to PCBs leads to serious health
problems—acute and chronic—like skin rashes, skin and fingernail
pigmentation changes, disturbances in liver function and the immune
system, irritation of the respiratory tract, depression, memory loss,
nervousness, impotence, elevated risk of cardiovascular disease,
hypertension and diabetes, liver damage and others.
As per estimates, 10,000 tonnes of PCBs have been recorded in India,
especially in the power sector. Though India never manufactured it but we
have stockpiles of it.
63. Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) has been defined by the Parties to the
UNCCD as
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1, 2 and 3
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1 and 3 only
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
1) Lead
2) Cadmium
3) Beryllium
4) Brominated flame retardants
Select the correct answer using the codes below.
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1, 2 and 3 only
c) 3 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Answer Justification :
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
a) Industrial manufacturing
b) Combustion of fossil fuels
c) Agricultural fields
d) Clearing of forests
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
The remainder results from the clearing of forests and other land use
changes (9%), as well as some industrial processes such as cement
manufacturing (4%)
Coal is the most carbon intensive fossil fuel. For every tonne of coal
burned, approximately 2.5 tonnes of CO2e are produced
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : A
a) It is a toxic pollutant.
b) It is responsible for coral bleaches across the eastern coast of
India.
c) It was being oversupplied in the market leading to price crashes
and poor producer margins.
d) It was heavily used by farmers as an additive in their NPK
fertilizers.
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
HEALTH ISSUES
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
72. Why the sale of Oxytocin, despite being a natural hormone, is heavily
regulated?
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Justification: Statement 1: Oxytocin has also been dubbed the love or the bliss
hormone due to its effects on behaviour. It isn’t a depressant. So, 1 is wrong.
Statement 2: The drug Oxytocin is banned in India under Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals Act and Food and Drug Adulteration Prevention Act, 1960. In
mammals, Oxytocin stimulates ejection of milk from the mammary glands. But, its
use can cause reproductive damage in animals and even their death.
Statement 4: The release of oxytocin by the pituitary gland acts to regulate two
female reproductive functions: Childbirth and Breast-feeding. So, it is used to
speed up child birth which is wrong and should be shunned.
So, after being banned in retail markets, the Indian Drug Controller will
soon restrict manufacturing of controversial hormone drug Oxytocin to public
sector undertakings (PSUs).
73. Bioremediation may NOT be most ideal for the removal of which of the
following from a site?
a) Cadmium
b) Lead
c) Sodium Chloride
d) All of the above are toxic and may pose difficulty in degradation to
microbes.
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
1) They are visible to the naked eye causing haze in the traffic.
2) Their levels are most likely to be elevated on days with little or no wind or
air mixing.
3) They can bypass the nose and throat and can easily enter the circulatory
system.
4) In Particulate matter, the National Air Quality Index (AQI) monitors only
PM10 particles.
a) 1, 3 and 4 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 2, 3 and 4 only
d) 1, 2 and 4 only
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
2.5 micrometres, which is around 3 per cent the diameter of a human hair.
It causes respiratory problems and reduces visibility. PM 2.5 particles can
only be detected with the help of an electron microscope because they are
so small.
Due to their smaller size, the PM 2.5 particles can easily bypass the nose
and throat and can easily enter the circulatory system. The particles can
also lead to cause chronic diseases such as asthma, heart attack, bronchitis
and other respiratory problems.
Ozone (O3),
Lead (Pb)
75. Which of the following statements about Central Pollution Control Board
(CPCB) is correct?
1) It is a statutory body.
2) It functions under the Ministry of Urban Development.
3) It is responsible for maintaining national standards under a variety of
environmental laws.
4) The ambient air quality monitoring systems in cities have been setup by
CPCB with the help of public sector undertakings.
a) 1, 2 and 3 only
b) 1, 2, 3 and 4
c) 1, 3 and 4 only
d) 2 and 4 only
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
1) They prevent erosion of railways tracks that was caused due to open
defecation from the coaches.
2) Bio-toilets do not require water and can operate in a variety of climatic
situations.
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Answer Justification :
Answer Justification :
Answer Justification :
The cost and placement of fuel storage tanks is the major barrier to
wider/quicker adoption of CNG as a fuel.
81. Tata Motors has recently unveiled India’s first Bio-CNG (bio-methane)
bus. Chemically, bio-methane is identical to natural gas, however,
natural gas is classified as a fossil fuel, whereas bio-methane is called
as a renewable source of energy. This is because
Answer Justification :
This gas when produced out of natural degradation process, escapes into
the atmosphere unused.
Answer Justification :
Justification: Statement 1: Flammable ice (also known as
methane hydrate or methane clathrates) consists of methane
trapped within water crystals. It is the world’s largest natural gas
resource trapped beneath permafrost and ocean sediment where
low temperature and moderate pressure combine to trap
methane in this specific way.
Answer Justification :
Background: For the development of Biofuels, a National Policy
on Biofuels has been announced in the year 2009. So, under the
EBP Oil Marketing Companies sell ethanol blended petrol with
percentage of ethanol up to 10% as per BIS specifications,
depending upon its availability.
Answer Justification :
The government has asked the think-tank NITI Aayog to study the
automobile standards developed in China to use methanol as an
alternative fuel.
Experts believe that Methanol economy will help India use its
vast reserves of coal while driving import substitution.
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
a) 1, 4 and 5 only
b) 1, 2 and 3 only
c) 1, 2 and 4 only
d) 2, 3, 4 and 5 only
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
1) Wetlands in India occupy more area than the net sown area.
2) A greater area is under Inland wetlands than coastal wetlands in India.
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Answer Justification :
Answer Justification :
92. Consider the following statements. Assertion (A): The more the
variety of species in an ecosystem, the more stable the ecosystem
is likely to be. Reason (R): Genetic diversity is essential for a
healthy breeding of and provision of a variety of services between
a population of species.
Answer Justification :
Answer Justification :
Learning: The solid portion of the earth on which we live is called the
Lithosphere.
The gaseous layers that surround the earth, is the Atmosphere, where
oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and other gases are found.
Water covers a very big area of the earth’s surface and this area is
called the Hydrosphere.
The Hydrosphere comprises water in all its forms, that is, ice, water
and water vapour.
The Biosphere is the narrow zone where we find land, water and air
together, which contains all forms of life.
ANIMAL BIODIVERSITY
94. This bird species is endemic to India, where it occurs in two isolated
populations, one in Western India and the other in Eastern Ghats. The
latest Indian Birding Fair at Rajasthan has been dedicated to this species.
It is
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Justification: You can solve such questions by elimination as well.
Learning: White Naped Tit bird species is very patchily distributed and
has been considered to be vulnerable to extinction especially because of
the scarcity of suitable habitats particularly nest cavities made by
woodpeckers.
Two patches are: one in central and southern Rajasthan, Kutch and
northern Gujarat in the north-west, and the other in the Eastern Ghats of
southern Andhra Pradesh, northern Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in the
south.
The 21st Indian Birding Fair is happening at the Man Sagar Lake,
Rajasthan and this year, this fair is dedicated to the White Naped Tit
bird, which is quite rare in Jaipur and are at the verge of extinction.
95. Consider the following about Chiru, which is also known as the Tibetan
antelope.
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1 and 3 only
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
a) Salt marshes
b) Deciduous and evergreen forests
c) Arid regions
d) Mangroves
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
1) Black-bellied Tern
2) Blue Jay
3) Amur Falcon
a) 1 and 3 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 1, 2 and 3
d) 2 and 3 only
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Justification: You can find the full list here – it need not be
remembered, but you may glance at it a couple of times to become familiar
with the names so that you can mark the correct answer in the exam.
http://bnhsenvis.nic.in/Database/MigratorybirdsIndia_835.aspx
The number of migratory birds arriving in the country depends on various
factors including habitat quality and preference, human disturbances
along their migratory route, pollution, hunting and other biotic factors etc.
However, as per the latest ‘Asian Waterbird Census’ coordinated by the
Wetlands International, the population of threatened migratory birds in
the entire flyway region which includes Central Siberia, Mongolia, Central
Asian republics, Iran, Afghanistan, Gulf States and the Indian sub-
continent, are
either decreasing or stable.
The Government of India is providing financial and technical assistance to
specialized institutions like Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and
Natural History (SACON), Wildlife Institute of India (WII),
Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) etc. for conducting
various studies for monitoring populations of important bird species and
their habitat.
98. With reference to the Snow Leopard, consider the following statements.
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
99. The olive ridley turtle is the smallest and most abundantly found sea
turtle in the world found all along the Indian coastline. It is facing which
of the following threats in India?
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 3 only
d) 2 and 3 only
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Justification: Statement 1: The Olive ridley turtles are the smallest and
most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world, inhabiting warm
waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. These turtles, along with
their cousin the Kemps ridley turtle, are best known for their unique mass
nesting called Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the
same beach to lay eggs.
Though found in abundance, their numbers have been declining over the
past few years, and the species is recognized as Vulnerable by the IUCN
Red list.
Olive-ridleys face serious threats across their migratory route, habitat and
nesting beaches, due to human activities such as turtle unfriendly fishing
practices, development and exploitation of nesting beaches for ports, and
tourist centres.
Statement 2: Though international trade in these turtles and their
products is banned under CITES Appendix I, they are still extensively
poached for their meat, shell and leather, and their eggs, though illegal to
harvest, have a significantly large market around the coastal regions.
Statement 3: However, the most severe threat they face is the accidental
killing of adult turtles through entanglement in trawl nets and gill nets due
to uncontrolled fishing during their mating season around nesting
beaches.
100. With reference to Indus Dolphins, consider the following statements.
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1 and 3 only
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
101. With reference to the Greater One Horned Rhino (Indian Rhino),
consider the following statements.
1) They prefer alluvial flood plains and areas containing tall grasslands.
2) Indian rhinos cannot swim despite being amphibious.
3) The Indian rhino has a single horn, which is present in both sexes.
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 2 and 3 only
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
a) Pashmina wool
b) Shahtoosh
c) Himayalan Yew
d) Pitas and Humas
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Learning: They are a breed of goat inhabiting the plateaus in Tibet and
neighbouring areas
They are best known for the pashmina wools
a) Sambhar lake
b) Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers
c) Chilka lake
d) Vembanad river
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
PLANT BIODIVERSITY
104. Scientists from Botanical Survey of India (BSI) have discovered a new
species of parasitic flowering plant named Gleadovia konyakianorum, that
was named in honour of Konyak tribe of Nagas. Consider the following
about it.
1) The plant was discovered in dry deciduous forests.
2) The plant is different from others because it has no chlorophyll.
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Justification: Statement 1: This could have been made out because the
Naga tribes do not live in deciduous forests and instead inhabit semi-
evergreen and evergreen forests. So, this option could have been eliminated
easily.
It was found in a forest at an altitude of 1 ,500-1,600 metres during an
exploration near Tobu town of Mon district in eastern Nagaland.
Statement 2: Gleadovia konyakianorum is a holoparasite (complete
parasite) plant that derives its entire nutritional requirement from the host
plant, which is a Strobilanthes species.
It has no chlorophyll (which helps a plant make its own food using
sunlight).
Though it has no chlorophyll, the plant has a vascular system and extracts
(its nutrition from the host plant with the help of a haustorium.
Haustorium is specialised structure with which plant parasites attach
themselves to host plants and derive nutrition.
105. A new species of wild banana that grows to height of nine metres, bears
an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit which is boat-shaped and has
numerous bulb-shaped seeds, has been recently found in
a) Lakshadweep Islands
b) Western Ghats
c) Central India
d) Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Answer Justification :
Justification: The Himalayan Yew is a medicinal plant found in
various parts of Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh.
Answer Justification :
Answer Justification :
Statement 4: Castor seed is the source of castor oil, which has a wide
variety of uses. The seeds contain between 40% and 60% oil that is rich
in triglycerides, mainly ricinolein. The acid and its derivatives, inhibits
many microbes, whether viral, bacterial or fungal.
Learning: The use of castor bean oil ("eranda") in India has been
documented since 2000 BC in lamps and in local medicine as a
laxative, purgative, and cathartic in Unani, Ayurvedic, siddha and
other ethnomedical systems.
Answer Justification :
MARINE ORGANISM\
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Hunting: In the past, Gharial was hunted for skin, trophies and use in
indigenous medicine
Learning: The gharial once thrived in all the major river systems of the
Indian Subcontinent, spanning the rivers of its northern part from the
Indus River in Pakistan across the Gangetic floodplain to the Irrawaddy
River in Myanmar.
Today, it is extinct in the Indus River, in the Brahmaputra of Bhutan and
Bangladesh, and in the Irrawaddy River.
In India, small populations are present and increasing in the rivers of the
National Chambal Sanctuary, Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, and Son
River Sanctuary.
Another small population exists in the rainforest biome of Mahanadi in
Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary, Odisha, where they apparently do not breed.
As the population has declined drastically in the past 70 years, the gharial
is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List
114. Scientists from Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered three
new species of eel along northern Bay of Bengal coast. Eels are found
mostly at
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Learning: There are about 1,000 species of eels identified so far across
the world. In India, there are around 125 species of eels identified.
With the three new discoveries, Bay of Bengal coast has yielded at least 5
new species of eel. In 2016, Gymnothorax indicus, an edible species of eel
was discovered. In 2015, a short brown unpatterned moray eel, named
Gymnothorax mishrai (Bengal moray eel) was discovered.
Japan consumes more than 70% of the global eel catch. European Eeel is
critically endangered.
a) Tropics
b) Sub-tropics
c) Higher temperate latitudes
d) Polar regions
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 2 only
d) 2 and 3 only
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Learning: As per MOEF 2011 guidelines, it is the area around a national
park or sanctuary upto 10 kms where developmental activities are
regulated (not prohibited) to:
Minimize impact of ecologically harmful developmental activities (e.g.
mining) on fragile ecosystem encompassing the area
Protects biodiversity by avoiding fragmentation of habitat
Act as a transition zone between areas of high protection (inside) and low
protection outside
Act as a "shock absorber" for the protected areas
118. Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) are nationally identified sites of global
significance. They include
a) 1 and 3 only
b) 2, 3 and 4 only
c) 1 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
It will also present the data in real time and shall be accessible to all
stakeholders and public at large
121. Ramsar Sites are those that are
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
For e.g. the Bahamas established three marine protected areas, including
the largest one in the region. The Dominican Republic established 30 new
protected areas, surpassing their goal of conserving at least 20% of
nearshore and coastal environments, and Jamaica too has set up eight no-
take marine zones.
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Learning: Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) sites contain the entire
population of one or more species listed as Endangered or Critically
Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The focus of AZEs is on species that face extinction either because their
last remaining habitat is being degraded at a local level, or because their
restricted global range makes them especially vulnerable to external
threats.
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
linking Parties that have specific technical and scientific needs with
Parties or institutions that are able to provide the necessary technical
support and resources to meet those needs through mutual partnerships;
and
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 2 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
1) Chilka Lake
2) Bhitarkanika Mangroves
3) Keoladeo National Park
4) Loktak Lake
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1 and 4 only
c) 3 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
In India, only 2 sites – Keoladeo National park and Loktak Lake are
covered under the record.Globally around 48 sites are listed.
Statement 1: A brackish water lagoon, spread over the Puri, Khurda and
Ganjam districts of Odisha state on the eastern coast of India, It is the
largest wintering ground for migratory birds on the Indian sub-
continent. It is the largest coastal lagoon in India.
129. Which of the following states has recently come up with a unique way of
preserving trees by encouraging people to forge a relationship of
brotherhood or sisterhood with trees through a practice?
a) Uttarakhand
b) Madhya Pradesh
c) Sikkim
d) Andhra Pradesh
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Learning: Under Sikkim Forest Tree (Amity & Reverence) Rules 2017,
the Government of Sikkim has come up with locally known as Mith/Mit
or Mitini which shows the parent-adoptee relationship between a tree and
a person.
As per the Sikkim Forest Tree (Amity & Reverence) Rules 2017:
Under the rules, State government shall allow any person to associate with
trees standing on his or her private land or on any public land by entering
into a Mith/Mit or Mitini relationship.
A person can also adopt a tree “as if it was his or her own child in which
case the tree shall be called an adopted tree.” Another way to forge a
relationship with a tree is by “preserving a tree in remembrance of a
departed relative in which case the tree shall be called a smriti tree.”
With this, Sikkim is keen to not just preserve its forest cover but also forge
amity between people and trees
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
1) To conserve all the wildlife rather than the areas where specific wildlife
occurs
2) Focussing on conservation of wildlife by establishing smaller National
parks and Sanctuaries
3) Doing away with the system of Reserved Forests
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 2 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Justification: You will face such questions in Prelims, some are meant to
be bouncers, some to be answered smartly. This was an easy question, if
you have solved many such similar ones in the past. Both options seem
correct in the first go.
Ecosystem-Based Management tools are methods and software that help
practitioners incorporate scientific and socioeconomic information into
decision making.
EBM tools can help: develop models of ecosystems; generate scenarios
illustrating the consequences of different management decisions on
natural resources and the economy; and facilitate stakeholder involvement
in planning processes.
The network is currently focusing on tools for integrated land-sea
planning to minimize the impacts of land use on coastal and marine
environments, apart from S1 and S2.
RED BOOK
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
134. Sangai deer is listed on Schedule-1 of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and
as Endangered on IUCN Red List. Consider the following statements
about it.
1) It is the state animal of Manipur and found in its natural habitat only in
Manipur.
2) Introduction of Paragrass in Sangai reserves by Government has helped
recuperate their population.
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Learning: These are all the species found in the Annamalai reserve.
The endangered ones include Bengal tiger, Indian elephant, dhole (Asiatic
wild dog), Nilgiri tahr and lion-tailed macaque.
The vulnerable one are brown mongoose, gaur, Malabar spiny dormouse,
Nilgiri langur, rusty- spotted cat, sambar deer, sloth bear and smooth-
coated otter.
The near threatened ones are Indian giant squirrel, Indian leopard and
Indian pangolin. The rest mentioned in the options are species of least
concern
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 onl
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1 and 2 only
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
a) Snow leopard
b) Kashmir Stag
c) Blue Sheep
d) Himalayan Tahr
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Vulnerable Species: Species are fewer than 10,000 and its population has
declined at least 10% over three generations.
1) Threatened species
2) Vulnerable Ecosystems
3) Outdated environmental laws
4) Fragile landscapes
a) 2, 3 and 4 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 3 and 4 only
d) 2 only
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
1) Indian vulture
2) Golden Mahseer
3) Ganges river dolphin
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 2 and 3 only
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
141. During winter the vehicles with closed doors and windows remain
warmer than the temperature outside. This may be due to
a) Greenhouse effect
b) Heat Conduction by metallic frame of vehicle
c) Ionizing radiation effect
d) High pollution outside the vehicle
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
1) Black carbon
2) Methane
3) Carbon Monoxide
a) and 3 only
b) 2 only
c) 1 and 2 only
d) 1 only
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Learning: The glass allows in more radiation and prevents the long wave
radiation going outside the glass house, causing the temperature inside
the glasshouse structure warmer than outside.
When you enter a car or a bus, during summers, where windows are
closed, you feel more heat than outside.
Likewise during winter the vehicles with closed doors and windows
remain warmer than the temperature outside.
145. Consider the following statements with reference to the carbon budget in
India.
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
146. The total direct radiative greenhouse effect of Methane is smaller than
that of Carbon Dioxide due to
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
OCEAN ACIDIFICATION
OZONE DEPLETION
a) Early morning
b) Afternoon
c) Late evening
d) Midnight
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 2 only
d) 1 and 3 only
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
a) 1 and 4 only
b) 2, 3 and 4 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 2 and 4 only
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
MITIGATION STRATEGIES
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
153. What is/are the qualification for a habitat to be called a Green Habitat?
concept:
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 3 only
d) 1 and 3 only
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
157. Fly ash is becoming a popular construction material. What is/are the
environmental benefits of fly ash utilization in concrete?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Justification: Fly ash is the finely divided residue that results from the
combustion of pulverized coal and is transported from the combustion
chamber by exhaust gases.
These lead to: (1) increase in the life of concrete roads and structures by
improving concrete durability, (2) net reduction in energy use and
greenhouse gas and other adverse air emissions when fly ash is used to
replace or displace manufactured cement, (3) reduction in amount of coal
combustion products that must be disposed in landfills, and (4)
conservation of other natural resources and materials.
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1 and 4 only
c) 1, 2 and 4 only
d) 1, 3 and 4 only
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
1) When forests are cleared or degraded, they can become a source of GHG
emissions by releasing the stored carbon in biomass or soil.
2) Farms such as rice fields soak atmospheric methane and reduce the
overall stock of CO2 in the atmosphere.
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
a) Capturing waste carbon dioxide from large point sources and reusing it
b) Redistributing captured carbon from storage in the atmosphere to
mitigate de-calcification in marine sources
c) Generating carbon certificates from carbon-intensive activities and issuing
them based on the carbon footprint associated with each such activity
d) Destroying atmospheric CO2 by way of electrostatic precipitators and
storing the residue in specialized storages
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
1) Haemophilus
2) Mycobacterium
3) Rhodococcus
4) Ralstonia
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2, 3 and 4 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
1) The Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) was established under the
UNFCCC to finance projects relating to adaptation, technology transfer
and capacity building.
2) Developed countries are contributing to the ‘fast-start finance’ (FSF) as a
step towards mobilizing USD 1 trillion per year from public and private
sources by 2020.
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Statement 2: The amount is USD 100 billion, which was a major demand
from developing countries for many COP meetings. Gradually it has been
acceded in the form of new and additional ‘fast-start finance’ (FSF)
between 2010-2012 to developing countries and other funds.
163. With reference to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC), consider the following statements.
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
1) Methyl Chloroform
2) CTC halons
3) Methyl Bromide
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 2 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
The project has four landscape located at Askot, Uttarakhand; Little Rann
of Kachchh, Gujarat, Satpura, Madhya Pardesh and Maharashtra and
Agasthyamalai, Tamil Nadu and Kerala; and three field learning centre at
Gir, Gujarat; KalakadMundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu and
Periyar Tiger Reserve, Kerala.
169. Consider the following statements. Under the scheme ‘Perform Achieve
and Trade (PAT)’
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
170. “Green Good Deeds” campaign, recently in news, has been launched by
a) WWF-India
b) Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change
c) Greenpeace India
d) Conservation International – India Chapter
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
The objective of the campaign is to restore and return the clean and green
environment to the next generation.
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 1, 2 and 3
d) 2 and 3 only
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
a) 1 Only
b) 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
174. Consider the following about The Partnership for Land Use Science
(Forest-Plus).
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
177. The Union Government signed the Global Environment Facility (GEF)
Grant Agreement of the World Bank for Ecosystem Service Improvement
Project. It has which of the following objectives?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
1) Protecting snow leopard and other endangered species and their habitats
2) Securing livelihoods of the people in the region
3) Enhancing enforcement to reduce wildlife crime
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
1) Cent per cent central grant is given to the State Governments for
implementing climate change adaptation projects
2) United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and associated
agencies have committed to contributing fifty per cent of the budget
Answer Justification :
AGRICULTURE
180. Agro-forestry is
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 1, 2 and 3 only
d) 2, 3 and 4 only
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
a) 1, 2 and 4 only
b) 2 and 4 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3 only
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
1) Reducing the formation of rills and gullies during times of heavy water
run-off
2) Allowing no time for the water to settle into the soil
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 3 only
d) 1 and 3 only
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Justification: Statement 1: Terrace farming is done on the steep slopes
so that flat surfaces are available to grow crops. They can reduce surface
run-off and soil erosion.
Statement 2: The water break also allows more time for the water to settle
into the soil.
Statement 3: It logically follows that as the velocity of water over the
slopes is reduced, it lowers soil erosion.
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
a) 1, 2 and 3
b) 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1 and 3 only
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Answer Justification :
The Rules of 1989 also define five competent authorities i.e. IBSC,
RCGM, GEAC, State Biotechnology Coordination Committee
(SBCC) and District Level Committee (DLC) for
handling of various aspects of the rules.
Answer Justification :
The award for excellence will be conferred on ‘Project Jal Sanchay’, the
water conservation model.
1) Mulch provides organic matter which helps keep the soil loose.
2) Mulch improves root growth and increase the water-holding
capacity of the soil.
Answer Justification :
194. Organic Farming does NOT deal with which of the following
problems of farms?
1) Nutrient management
2) Weed management
3) Insect pest management
4) Disease management in plants
CONSERVATION EFFORTS
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
196. Kanikkarans are the Original tribal Settlers in this protected area. It
includes the Indian Ecoregions of South Western Ghats moist deciduous
forests, South Western Ghats montane rain forests and Shola. It became
part of World Network of Biosphere Reserves in 2016, it is
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
197. The highest peak in India south of the Himalayas is inside this park.
Many perennial streams criss- cross the park. A UNESCO World Heritage
Site, it is
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
198. The National Park is located where the Deccan Plateau meets the
Western Ghats. The park is flanked by the Kabini river in the north and
the Moyar river in the south. It is?
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Justification: Option A: Most of the coral reefs in the park are fringing
reefs. The type and composition of vegetation varies from island to island.
Most notably there you can see a difference between the tourist islands
which suffer more anthropocentric change and others which do not.
Twin Islands are an important breeding ground for turtles within the park.
Option B: Marine National Park of Gulf of Kutchh is a fragile ecosystem.
In recent years, biodiversity of marine park has been under threat on
several scores like extraction of corals and sands by cement industries,
increased turbidity of water, oil refineries, chemical industries and
mechanised fishing boats
Option C: Located in Odisha and a very popular tourist attraction,
extending from Dhamra River mouth in the north to Brahmani river
mouth in the south, it is the one of world's most important nesting beach
for olive ridley turtles.
200. Being at the confluence of the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats, the
sanctuary is home to eco- systems that are unique to both the mountain
ranges. The site is also a declared a tiger reserve. It is
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
201. The Satpura mountain ranges cross India from west to east and this
Biosphere Reserve lies directly in its centre. There is a Plateau, borrowing
name from this biosphere reserve, which is also known as the ‘Queen of
Satpura’. The Biosphere Reserve is
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
202. The protected area that is also famously known as ‘Top Slip’ is actually
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Learning: Earlier known as Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and
National Park (IGWLS&NP) and previously as Anamalai Wildlife
Sanctuary, it is a protected area located in the Anaimalai Hills of
Coimbatore District of Tamil Nadu state.
The park is named after former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi.
The main tourist facilities are located in the northeast corner of the park at
"Topslip", so named because of the local 19th century practice of sliding
timber logs down the hills from here.
This tiger reserve, together with the several other contiguous protected
forest and grassland habitats, is the core of the Parambikulum-Indira
Gandhi tiger habitat landscape complex.
203. Among the following protected areas, the one that lies farthest in the
South is
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification
a) Anantagiri Hills
b) Seshachalam Hills
c) Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve
d) Simlipal Biosphere Reserve
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Learning: The ranges were formed during the Precambrian era (3.8
billion to 540 million years ago). Minerals contained in these hills include
sandstone and shale interbedded with limestone. The ranges are bounded
by the Rayalaseema uplands to the west and northwest, and the Nandyal
Valley to the north.
The Srivenkateshwara National Park is also located in these ranges. The
famous Natural Arch, Tirumala Hills is also a part of Seshachalam Hills.
In 2010 it was designated as a Biosphere Reserve. It has large reserves of
Red Sandal wood which is used in medicines, soaps ,spiritual rituals.
205. A species known as dugong (sea cow) is found here. The estuaries of
some South Indian rivers drain near the protected area. It is
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Learning: The Gulf of Mannar is a large shallow bay forming part of the
Laccadive Sea in the Indian Ocean.
The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park is a protected area of India
consisting of 21 small islands (islets) and adjacent coral reefs in the Gulf of
Mannar in the Indian Ocean.
The park has a high diversity of plants and animals in its marine,
intertidal and near shore habitats. Public access inside the Park is limited
to glass bottom boat rides.
Mangroves dominate the intertidal zones of the park islands.
206. The Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong Landscape (KKL) is a vital site classified
as a critical region by WWF- India. Consider the following about it.
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
a) Harike Lake
b) Ashtamudi Wetland
c) Chandra Taal Lake
d) Renuka Lake
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
208. It is one of the largest national parks of India and the Great Indian
bustard is commonly found in the region. Despite a fragile ecosystem
there is an abundance of birdlife here. It is
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Every year thousands of migratory waterfowl visit the park for wintering
and breeding. It is also a World Heritage Site.
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
211. Which of the following national park boasts the highest tiger density in
India?
a) Kaziranga
b) Jim Corbett
c) Orang
d) Bandipur
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
213. The Biosphere Reserve that was established the most recently is
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
214. The Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP), a UNESCO World Heritage
Site, is situated in which of these famous and pristine river valleys?
a) Baspa
b) Tirthan
c) Chumbi
d) Doon
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
a) Keibul Lamjao
b) Bhitarkanika
c) Sultanpur
d) Keoladeo Ghana
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification
Option (b) is not a man made wetland. It is the second largest mangrove
ecosystem in India and is inundated by a number of rivers - Brahmani,
Baitarni, Dhamra, Pathsala and others.
Option (c): Sultanpur is a bird sanctuary, and does not meet the
description given in the question.
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Statement 2: Marae Moana in Cook Islands: 1,976,000 sq. km. and Ross
Sea Region Marine Protected Area in Antarctica, 1,555,851 sq. km, both
designated in 2017 are the two largest MPAs in the world.
The Ross Sea, its shelf and slope only comprise 2% of the Southern Ocean
but they are home to 38% of the world's Adelie penguins, 30% of the
world's Antarctic petrels and around 6% of the world's population of
Antarctic minke whales
217. Which of the following national parks have Tropical Vegetation?
1) Khangchendzonga
2) Nandadevi
3) Simlipal
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 3 only
d) 1 only
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
218. Sharing the north-eastern boundary with Nepal, the area is a vast alluvial
floodplain traversed by numerous rivers and streams. With high density of
forests interspersed with grasslands, a characteristic of the Terai
ecosystems in India, it is, probably, the last prominent remnant of this
type of ecosystem. The protected area is
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
219. This Tiger Reserve serves as international corridor for Asian elephant
migration between India and Bhutan with the northern boundary of this
Reserve running along the India-Bhutan international border. It is?
a) Dampa
b) Valmiki
c) Dudhwa
d) Buxa
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Learning: Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal has been identified for the
tiger augmentation programme by the National Tiger Conservation
Authority (NTCA).
Tigers from the forest reserves of Assam, which have a similar flora and
fauna, will be introduced in Buxa.
220. You are likely to find both Mangroves and Salt Water Crocodiles in
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Justification: The first map shows the tiger reserves, and the
second one - National Parks
a) Vijayawada
b) Thiruananthpuram
c) Allahabad
d) Sundarbans
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
1) Coondapur
2) Sultanpur
3) Gahirmatha
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
State government will also nominate one expert each in fields of wetland
ecology, hydrology, fisheries, landscape planning and socioeconomics.
In this case, wise use has been defined as principle of sustainable uses that
is compatible with conservation.
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
226. What is/are the difference(s) between a Reserved Forest and a protected
forest?
1) The former is notified under the provisions of Indian Forest Act, whereas
the latter is notified under the Wildlife Protection Act.
2) In the former, all activities are prohibited unless permitted, whereas in the
latter all activities are permitted unless prohibited.
227. According to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which of the following
animals cannot be hunted by any person except under some provisions
provided by law?
1) Gangetic Dolphin
2) India Gazelle
3) Lion-tailed Macaque
4) Pygmy Hog
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1, 3 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 only
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
a) 1 Only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
viz.. The scheme has three components that are covered in S1 to S3.
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
It also focuses on revival of surface water bodies so that ground water level
can be increased, especially in the rural areas. It will give emphasis to
recharging ground water sources and ensure efficient use of water by
involving people at local level.
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
a) Central government
b) State/UT Government
c) Local Government
d) Ramsar Convention – India Chapter
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Learning: Conservation and management of wetlands is primarily vested
with the State/UTs, who are in physical possession of the area. After
identification of wetlands under the Scheme, the State/UTs are to submit
long-term comprehensive Management Action Plans (MAPs) for a period
of 3-5 years, preferably 5 years, coinciding with the Plan period.
The State Governments are advised to define objectives taking into
consideration factors responsible for degradation of the wetland.
State governments submit MAPs under the National Wetland
Conservation Programme (NWCP) and then receive funding from the
Centre.
Under the Scheme, Ministry also sponsor multidisciplinary research
projects by academic/ managerial/ research institutions on various
aspects of wetland conservation to supplement execution of MAP in more
realistic manner.
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Justification: There are these three sub-schemes listed on the home page
of BEE Net.
Under this program, ceiling fan has been identifies as the first appliance to
adopted. SEEP for ceiling fans aims to leapfrog to an efficiency level which
will be about 50% more efficient than market average by providing a time
bound incentive to fan manufacturers to manufacture super efficient (SE)
fans and sell the same at a discounted price
Answer Justification :
1) Indian Forest Act, 1927 empowers the government to declare any area to
be a reserved forest or a protected forest.
2) Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 allows any area to be constituted as a
"protected area".
Answer Justification :
Justification: India's forests are governed by two main laws, the Indian
Forest Act, 1927 and the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
The former allows declaration of an area to be a reserved forest, protected
forest or village forest.
However, this has often caused problems for the tribals, to resolve which a
Forest Rights Act was constituted.
a) Agricultural sector
b) Hospitality and Tourism
c) Industrial and other related sectors
d) Import-Export sector
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 2 and 3 only
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
240. The Animal Welfare Board of India is a statutory advisory body with an
important function of providing financial assistance to the recognised
Animal Welfare Organisations (AWOs). It was established under
To keep the law in force in India for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
under constant study and to advise the government on the amendments to
be undertaken in any such law from time to time.
To take all such steps as the Board may think fit to ensure that unwanted
animals are destroyed by local authorities, whenever it is necessary to do
so, either instantaneously or after being rendered insensible to pain or
suffering.
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
The Council deals with the solution based forestry research in tune with
the emerging issues in the sector, including global concerns such as
climate change, conservation of biological diversity, combating
desertification and sustainable management and development of
resources.
a) Environmental management
b) Public concerts and festivals
c) Electrical appliances
d) Musical instruments
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Learning: ISO 14000 is the general term used for ISO 14000 family of
standards. ISO 14001:2004
`Environmental Management Systems – Specifications with Guidance for
use’ is a standardpublished by International Organization for
Standardization (ISO)
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
244. The main roles and functions of the National Afforestation and Eco-
Development Board (NAEB) include
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 2 and 3 only
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Coordinate and monitor the Action Plans for afforestation, tree planting,
ecological restoration and eco-development; and
Undertake all other measures necessary for promoting afforestation, tree
planting, ecological restoration and eco-development activities in the
country
245. What are the primary functions of Botanical Survey of India (BSI)?
1) Publication of National, State and District Floras
2) Survey and documentation of traditional knowledge, ethno-botany,
associated with plants
3) In-situ conservation of critically threatened species in botanical gardens
4) Identification of threatened and red list species and species rich areas
needing conservation
a) 1, 2 and 3 only
b) 1, 2 and 4 only
c) 2 and 4 only
d) 1 and 3 only
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
248. In a first of its kind, which of the following states is building eco-bridges
for the movement of tigers, linking tiger reserves and nearby forests?
a) Maharashtra
b) Gujarat
c) Telangana
d) Assam
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
250. Consider the following about the Centre for Science and Environment
(CSE) in India.
a) 1 and 3 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 3 only
d) 1 and 2 only
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
251. With reference to a Marine Protected Area (MPA), consider the following
statements.
a) 1 and 3 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1, 2 and 3
d) 1 only
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1, 2 and 3 only
c) 3 and 4 only
d) 2, 3 and 4 only
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
It keeps the law in force in India for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
under constant study and to advise the government on the amendments to
be undertaken in any such law from time to time.
It recognises Animal Welfare Organisations by granting them recognition
if they meet its guidelines.
It also appoints key people to the positions of (Hon) Animal Welfare
Officers, who serve as the key point of contact between the people, the
government and law enforcement agencies.
It suggests changes to laws and rules about animal welfare issues. It also
offers guidance to organisations and officials such as police to help them
interpret and apply the laws.
It issues publications to raise awareness of various animal welfare issues
and engages in capacity building of stakeholders.
It provides financial assistance to recognised AWOs, who submit
applications to the Board
Answer Justification :
Answer Justification :
During the period of the campaign, artists and craftsmen will create life-
size works on the theme of elephants in places along the route of the
roadshow, covering 12 states that have wild elephants, using local art and
craft.
255. Consider the following about The Energy Resources Institute (TERI).
Answer Justification :
The main focus of ICCG activities is the design of climate policy and related
governance issues.
256. With reference to Indian Green Building Council (IGBC),
consider the following statements.
Answer Justification :
257. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is set up under the
Chairmanship of the
Answer Justification :
Answer Justification :
Functions include:
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 2 only
d) 2 and 3 only
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
REPORTS
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
The total Forest and Tree cover of the country as per 2015 assessment in
the state of Forest Report is nearly 8 lakh sq km which is 24.16 per cent of
the geographical area of the country
a) IUCN
b) World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
c) United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
d) None of the above
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Justification: It is published by the Convention on Biological Diversity.
It is a periodic report that summarizes the latest data on the status and
trends of biodiversity and draws conclusions relevant to the further
implementation of the Convention.
262. Our Planet, Atlas and Global Environment Outlook (GEO) are flagship
publications of
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
263. Consider the following statements with reference to the: Climate Change
Performance Index (CCPI) 2018
a) 1 and 4 only
b) 3 only
c) 1, 2 and 3 only
d) 2 and 3 only
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
264. Consider the following about the Wildlife Picture Index (WPI).
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
The WPI is not limited to camera trap data, but can also be used for other
presence/absence data, such as information collected using sound
sensors.
The WPI can be aggregated at the level of a site (e.g., a TEAM Site), sites
within a region, sites within a continent or globally.
265. Consider the following about the Ocean Health Index (OHI ).
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Answer Justification :
Learning: The index has put India amongst the six most vulnerable
countries in the world.
This year’s 13th edition of the analysis reconfirms earlier results of the
Climate Risk Index: less developed countries are generally more affected
than industrialised countries.
Regarding future climate change, the Climate Risk Index may serve as a
red flag for already existing vulnerability that may further increase in
regions where extreme events will become more frequent or more severe
due to climate change.
Germanwatch, is a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in
Bonn, Germany. It seeks to influence public policy on trade, the
environment, and relations between countries in the industrialized north
and underdeveloped south
a) IUCN – India
b) WWF – India
c) Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
d) Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
a) Non-Aligned Movement
b) Sustainable Development
c) Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence – India and China
d) Boundary dispute between India and Pakistan
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
271. The New Urban Agenda is an important outcome document agreed upon
at the
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
272. The blue label certification granted by the Marine Stewardship Council
essentially depicts that the seafood that is labelled blue is
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Learning: It is a 10-year international research programme which aims
to build knowledge about the environmental and human aspects of Global
change, and to find solutions for sustainable development.
Future Earth was launched in June 2012, at the UN Conference on
Sustainable Development (Rio 20).
It aims to increase the impact of scientific research on sustainable
development. Scientific research and synthesis in Future Earth is carried
out by a number of international networks, known as ‘core projects’, many
of which were launched under the umbrella of the existing four global
environmental change programmes, DIVERSITAS, the International
Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), the International Human
Dimensions Programme (IHDP) and the World Climate Research
Programme (WCRP).
277. The “Transformative Carbon Asset Facility (TCAF)”, that would help
developing countries pay for emission reductions, was launched by
a) World Bank
b) UNFCCC
c) WWF
d) UNEP
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Learning: India will be the Global Host for World Environment Day
(WED) 2018 which is observed annually on 5 June.
The first World Environment Day was observed in 1973 and since then it
is being held every year with different themes.
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
TEAM currently operates in sixteen tropical forest sites across Africa, Asia
and Latin America supporting a network of scientists committed to
standardized methods of data collection to quantify how plants and
animals respond to pressures such as climate change and human
encroachment
282. With reference to the Biodiversity Indicators Partnership (BIP), consider
the following about it.
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 2 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
The central activities of the ESSP are Joint Projects on issues of global
sustainability, designed to address the global environmental change
aspects of four critical issues for human well-being: energy and the carbon
cycle (GCP), food security (GECAFS), water resources (GWSP) and human
health (GEC&HH).
284. The United Nations designated the first Monday of October of every year
as World Habitat Day. UN- Habitat’s focal areas include
a) 1, 2 and 5 only
b) 3 and 4 only
c) 2, 3 and 5 only
d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
1) Bangladesh
2) Indonesia
3) Malaysia
4) Nepal
5) Russia
a) 1, 3 and 4 only
b) 1, 2, 4 and 5 only
c) 2 and 5 only
d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 2 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
289. The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a fund within the framework of the
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
291. IUCN's World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) has which of the
following objectives?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Learning: The Great Green Wall is a symbol of hope in the face of one of
the biggest challenges of our time\u2028– desertification.
Launched in 2007, this game-changing initiative aims to restore Africa’s
degraded landscapes and in the process transform millions of lives in one
of the world’s poorest regions, the Sahel.
Once complete, the Wall will be the largest living structure on the planet –
an 8000km natural wonder of the world stretching across the entire width
of the Continent.
By 2030, the ambition is to restore 100 million hectares of currently
degraded land, sequester 250 million tonnes of carbon and create a
minimum of 350,000 jobs in rural areas.
The Global Mechanism of the UNCCD is implementing a flagship initiative
under the Great Green Wall called FLEUVE – The Local Environmental
Coalition for a Green Union. The project is financed by the European
Commission to the tune of Euro 7 million and is being implemented from
2014-18.
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
a) UNEP
b) IUCN
c) WWF
d) Conservation International
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Learning: The overarching goal adopted in the Hua Hin declaration and
supported by the Global Tiger Recovery Program (GTRP) is to reverse the
rapid decline of wild tigers and to strive to double the number of wild
tigers across their range by 2022.
The Tiger Range Country's (TRCs) as a group is ready to take on this
challenge although not all
TRCs individually will be able to achieve this goal.
To solve the tiger crisis, which represents the larger Asian biodiversity
crisis, the TRCs, international organizations, and civil society have come
together on a collaborative platform within the framework of the Global
Tiger Initiative (GTI).
After a two-year process of sharing knowledge and best practices and
developing a common vision, the GTRP was developed, with the shared
goal of doubling the number of wild tigers globally by 2022 through
actions to:
effectively manage, preserve, protect, and enhance tiger habitats;
eradicate poaching, smuggling, and illegal trade of tigers, their parts, and
derivatives; cooperate in transboundary landscape management and in
combating illegal trade; engage with indigenous and local communities;
increase the effectiveness of tiger and habitat management; and restore
tigers to their former range.
a) and 3 only
b) 1 and 4 only
c) 2 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
SASP is part of the global Regional Seas Programme established under the
auspices of UN Environment.
Learning: Launched in 1974 by UNEP, the main aim of the Regional Seas
Programme is to address the degradation of the seas by engaging
neighbouring countries in a collaboration to support the achievement of
international environmental and development targets (e.g. the Aichi
Biodiversity Targets and the Millennium Development Goals).
The UNEP Regional Seas Programme now supports more than 140
countries in marine resource management through their participation as
Contracting Parties to 18 regional level programmes around the world.
299. Consider the following funds under UNFCCC and their parent
management fund.
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 2 only
d) 1 and 3 only
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Background: The UNFCCC, under its Article 11, states that the operation
of the Financial Mechanism is entrusted to one or more existing
international entities.
The operation of the Financial Mechanism is partly entrusted to the
Global Environment Facility (GEF).
At COP 17 Parties decided to designate the Green Climate Fund (GCF) as
an operating entity of the Financial Mechanism of the Convention, in
accordance with Article 11 of the Convention.
The Financial Mechanism is accountable to the COP, which decides on its
climate change policies, programme priorities and eligibility criteria for
funding.
The Kyoto Protocol also recognizes, under its Article 11, the need for the
Financial Mechanism to fund activities by developing country Parties.
Justification: In addition to providing guidance to the GEF, Parties have
established four special funds: the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF),
the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), both managed by the GEF,
and the GCF under the Convention; and the Adaptation Fund (AF) under
the Kyoto Protocol.
The Adaptation Fund (AF) was established in 2001 to finance concrete
adaptation projects and programmes in developing country Parties to the
Kyoto Protocol that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of
climate change.
The Adaptation Fund is financed with a share of proceeds from the clean
development mechanism (CDM) project activities and other sources of
funding. The share of proceeds amounts to 2 per cent of certified emission
reductions (CERs) issued for a CDM project activity
300. United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development
(HLPF) was established as a result of the mandate in
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
301. Which of the following issues are covered by the United Nations
Convention on the Law of Seas (UNCLOS)?
a) 1 and 4 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Justification: The Law of the Sea Convention defines the rights and
responsibilities of nations with respect to their use of the world's oceans,
establishing guidelines for businesses, the environment, and the
management of marine natural resources.
These are some of the important articles of the UNCLOS:
Article 17. Right of innocent passage
Article 18. Meaning of passage
Article 19. Meaning of innocent passage
Article 20. Submarines and other underwater vehicles
Article 21. Laws and regulations of the coastal State relating to innocent
passage
Article 22. Sea lanes and traffic separation schemes in the territorial sea
Article 31. Responsibility of the flag State for damage caused by a warship
or other government ship operated for non-commercial purposes
Article 32. Immunities of warships and other government ships operated
for non-commercial purposes
The UN has no direct operational role in the implementation of the
Convention.
There is, however, a role played by organizations such as the International
Maritime Organization, the International Whaling Commission, and the
International Seabed Authority (ISA). (The ISA was established by the UN
Convention.)
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Learning: Indonesian House of Representatives hosted the first world
Parliamentary Forum on Sustainable Development on 6-7 September 2017
in Bali.
The forum was open to all national parliaments.
The Forum will carry out the vision to facilitate the sharing of policy
analysis, experience, best practices from cross-country and cross-sectors,
discuss preparedness and also deepen the understanding of parliament in
each country of SDGs.
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1, 2 and 3
d) 1 only
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
306. As per IUCN, what are the defining characteristics of Indigenous and
Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs)?
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
1) is a non-profit organization
2) provides hands-on assistance to animals
3) campaigns to end commercial whaling
4) was founded by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
Answer Justification :
1) A high-level global forum to share lessons learnt and best practices for
the transition to a global clean energy economy
2) An initiative of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
3) Financing Green Carbon Credits (GCC) allotted to Least Developed
Countries (LDCs)
4) The main implementing agency for the programs of the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP)
Answer Justification :
Answer Justification :
Learning: WCRP’s mission is to facilitate the analysis and
prediction of Earth system variability and change for use in an
increasing range of practical applications of direct relevance,
benefit and value to society.
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 1 and 2 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
While the IPPC's primary focus is on plants and plant products moving in
international trade, the Convention also covers research materials,
biological control organisms, germplasm banks, containment facilities,
food aid, emergency aid and anything else that can act as a vector for the
spread of plant pests – for example, containers, packaging materials, soil,
vehicles, vessels and machinery.
Correct Answer : B
CMS brings together the States through which migratory animals pass, the
Range States, and lays the legal foundation for internationally coordinated
conservation measures throughout a migratory range. It also coordinates
with NGOs and other non-state actors.
313. Aichi Biodiversity Targets are a set of 20 global targets under the
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
315. Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS) is a key idea in which of the following
environmental conventions?
a) Convention on Biological Diversity
b) CITES Convention
c) United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC)
d) Washington Convention, 2001
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
316. The targets for the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol cover
emissions of the six main greenhouse gases. It did NOT include which of
these gases?
a) Methane (CH4);
b) Nitrous oxide (N2O);
c) Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)
d) Carbon Monooxide (CO)
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Justification: CO is not a greenhouse gas, so not covered under Kyoto
protocol. Other gases that were covered are:
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs);
Perfluorocarbons (PFCs); and
Carbon dioxide (CO2);
During the first commitment period, 37 industrialized countries and the
European Community committed to reduce GHG emissions to an average
of five percent against 1990 levels. During the second commitment period,
Parties committed to reduce GHG emissions by at least 18 percent below
1990 levels in the eight-year period from 2013 to 2020; however, the
composition of Parties in the second commitment period is different from
the first.
a) Montreal Protocol
b) Convention on Biological Diversity
c) UNFCCC
d) Paris convention 2015
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
318. The Union cabinet has approved a proposal for ratification of the
Minamata Convention.Consider the following about it.
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Phase out and phase down of mercury use in a number of products and
processes Control measures on emissions to air and on releases to land
and water Regulation of the informal sector of artisanal and small-scale
gold mining etc.
319. The term 'Bali Road Map, is sometimes seen in news in the context of
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
Learning: The Bali Road Map was adopted at the 13th Conference of the
Parties and the 3rd Meeting of the Parties in 2007 in Bali.
The Road Map is a set of a forward-looking decisions that represent the
work that needs to be done under various negotiating “tracks” that is
essential to reaching a secure climate future.
The Bali Road Map includes the Bali Action Plan, which charts the course
for a new negotiating process designed to tackle climate change.
a) Nuclear disarmament
b) Hazardous chemicals
c) Bio-piracy
d) Genetic Engineering
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1 and 2 only
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
CMS and its daughter agreements determine policy and provide further
guidance on specific issues through their Strategic Plans, Action Plans,
resolutions, decisions and guidelines.
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : A
Answer Justification :
Justification: As per the CBD, article 8(j) states that subject to national
legislation, parties shall respect, preserve and maintain knowledge,
innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities
embodying traditional lifestyles relevant for the conservation and
sustainable use of biological diversity and promote their wider application
with the approval and involvement of the holders of such knowledge,
innovations and practices and encourage the equitable sharing of the
benefits arising from the utilization of such knowledge innovations and
practices.
Nagoya protocol is a visible manifestation of this provision, which we have
already covered in previous tests.
324. The Rio Conventions which derive directly from the 1992 Earth Summit
do NOT include
Correct Answer : D
Answer Justification :
a) 1 and 4 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1, 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
Learning: The CMS is the only global and UN-based intergovernmental
organization established exclusively for the conservation and management
of terrestrial, aquatic and avian migratory species throughout their range.
It is an intergovernmental treaty, concluded under the aegis of the United
Nations Environment Programme, concerned with the conservation of
wildlife and habitats on a global scale.
Since the Convention's entry into force, its membership has grown steadily
to include over 100 Parties from Africa, Central and South America, Asia,
Europe and Oceania.
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
Correct Answer : B
Answer Justification :
a) IUCN
b) WWF
c) UNEP
d) Ramsar Convention
Correct Answer : C
Answer Justification :
329. CORDEX is a
Answer Justification :
Learning: Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment
(CORDEX) is a World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) sponsored
program to produce regional climate change scenarios globally,
contributing to the IPCC Assessment reports and to the climate
community.
Regional Climate Models (RCM) applied over a limited area and driven
by GCMs can provide information on much smaller scales supporting
more detailed impact and adaptation assessment and planning, which
is vital in many vulnerable regions of the world.
Answer Justification :
The 2030 WRG was launched in 2008 at the World Economic Forum
and has been hosted by IFC since 2012.
The ultimate aim of such reforms and actions is to close the gap between
water demand and supply by the year 2030.
Our global partners include companies like PepsiCo, Coca-Cola,
development banks the World Bank, African Development Bank and
INGOs and IGPs like UNDP, IUCN.
331. Consider the following with reference to major international dates
related to environment.
Answer Justification :
Answer Justification :
Justification: Operational in around seventy countries, Friends of the
Earth was founded in 1969 as an anti-nuclear group. FOTE main
mission was to lock up and prevent further development of nuclear
energy.
food sovereignty
climate justice and energy (Including releasing the song "Love Song
To the Earth")
Answer Justification :
Justification:
Statement 2: Principle of equity implies fairness. Its implication can be
seen in statement 4.
Statement 4: For e.g. USA and China have contributed more to GHG
emissions historically than LDCs like South Sudan or Zimbabwe. So, it
is only fair that the larger share of responsibilities should go to USA and
China.
So, the Rio Declaration states: “In view of the different contributions to
global environmental degradation, States have common but differentiated
responsibilities.
334. With reference to CITES (the Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), consider the
following:
Answer Justification :