Question 1

Consider the following statements with reference to India's response to climate change:
I. India's Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) is a crucial tool for achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.
II. India's 4th Biennial Update Report (BUR-4) submitted in December, 2024 recorded around 8% decrease in Greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 over 2019.
III. Climate-resilient development necessarily depends on quick and short-term achievement of emission reduction targets.
Which of the following relationships among the above statements is/are correct?
1. Statement I is empirically supported by statement II.
2. Statement III contradicts the approach implicit in statement I.
3. Statement I and statement III together establish the premise of long-term sustainability.

Accepted Answer

1 only. * Relationship 1 is correct: Statement I defines India's long-term plan to achieve net-zero by 2070, and Statement II empirically tracks this reduction pathway (India's BUR-4 reported a 7.93% drop in GHG emissions in 2020 compared to 2019). * Relationship 2 is correct: Statement III demands quick, short-term reduction mandates, which directly contradicts the systematic, mid-to-late century phasing implicit in a Long-Term Low Emission Strategy (LT-LEDS). * Relationship 3 is incorrect: Statement III's short-term focus does not build the core foundation for long-term sustainability, which favors structured transitions over disruptive short-term mandates.

Question 2

Which of the following statements with regard to Green Hydrogen is/are correct?
1. It is decarbonized hydrogen obtained from natural gas reforming combined with carbon capture and storage (CCS).
2. It is produced using electrolysis of water with electricity generated by renewable energy.
3. National Green Hydrogen Mission of India aims for abatement of nearly 50 MMT of annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
Select the answer using the code given below:

Accepted Answer

1 only. * Statement 1 is incorrect: Hydrogen manufactured via natural gas reforming where the resultant carbon emissions are isolated and stored underground using CCS is termed Blue Hydrogen, not Green Hydrogen. * Statement 2 is correct: Green Hydrogen is generated by using zero-carbon renewable energy (solar, wind, etc.) to power an electrolyzer that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen molecules. * Statement 3 is correct: The National Green Hydrogen Mission sets a target for India to produce at least 5 MMT of green hydrogen annually by 2030, which is projected to avert nearly 50 MMT of annual greenhouse gas emissions.

Question 3

Which of the following statements in relation to NIRANTAR (National Institute for Research and Application of Natural Resources to Transform, Adapt and Build Resilience), a platform of institutions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, is/are correct?
1. Ecosystem Survey and Analysis is a vertical under this platform, the lead institute of which is Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata.
2. Research and Management of Ecosystem Service is a vertical under this platform, the lead institute of which is Central Zoo Authority, New Delhi.
3. Capacity Development Support is a vertical under this platform, the lead institute of which is Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal.
Select the answer using the code given below:

Accepted Answer

2 only. * NIRANTAR is a newly established platform meant to optimize synergy, collaboration, and resource-sharing among existing institutes of the Environment Ministry without setting up new physical structures. * Statements 1 & 2 are incorrect: The designated lead institute for both the "Ecosystem Survey and Analysis" vertical and the "Research and Management of Ecosystem Service" vertical is ICFRE, Dehradun (not BSI or CZA). * Statement 3 is correct: The lead institute handling the "Capacity Development Support" vertical is the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal.

Question 4

Consider the following statements:
Statement I: Studies indicate that carbon dioxide emissions from cement industry account for more than 5% of global carbon emissions.
Statement II: Silica-bearing clay is mixed with limestone while manufacturing cement.
Statement III: Limestone is converted into lime during clinker production for cement manufacturing.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I. * (a) is correct: The high-temperature calcination process used in clinker manufacturing heats limestone and silica-bearing clay to roughly $1,450^{\circ}C$, which consumes significant energy and drives CO2 release, satisfying Statement II. * This chemical reaction converts limestone (calcium carbonate) into lime (calcium oxide), releasing large volumes of process CO2 into the atmosphere, satisfying Statement III. * Together, these combined manufacturing stages (Statements II and III) explain why the cement industry accounts for approximately 8% (more than 5%) of global anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions (Statement I). Thus, both statements are correct and explain Statement I.

Question 5

Consider the following statements:
I. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in India are less than 0.5 t CO2/capita.
II. In terms of CO2 emissions from fuel combustion, India ranks second in Asia-Pacific region.
III. Electricity and heat producers are the largest sources of CO2 emissions in India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

II only. * Statement I is incorrect: In 2022, India's per capita CO2 emissions rose to 2 tonnes (which is less than half the global average of 4.7 tonnes, but much higher than 0.5 t CO2/capita). * Statement II is correct: In terms of total absolute CO2 emissions resulting specifically from fuel combustion, India ranks second in the Asia-Pacific region behind China. * Statement III is correct: The generation of electricity and heat remains the largest sectoral source of carbon dioxide emissions within India.

Question 6

Consider the following statements:
Statement I: Circular economy reduces the emissions of greenhouse gases.
Statement II: Circular economy reduces the use of raw materials as inputs.
Statement III: Circular economy reduces wastage in the production process.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I. * (a) is correct: Circular economy strategies focus on retaining product value for as long as possible, which actively minimizes manufacturing waste (Statement III). * This approach systematically reduces the demand for virgin inputs or raw materials (Statement II). * Because it curbs raw material extraction and processing (Statement II) and manages waste out of the industrial cycle (Statement III), a circular economy directly mitigates associated greenhouse gas emissions (Statement I). Both statements provide the explanation for Statement I.

Question 7

Consider the following statements:
I. Without the atmosphere, temperature would be well below freezing point everywhere on the Earth's surface.
II. Heat absorbed and trapped by the atmosphere maintains our planet's average temperature.
III. Atmosphere's gases, like carbon dioxide, are particularly good at absorbing and trapping radiation.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

I and II only. * Statement I is correct: The Earth's atmosphere acts as an essential insulation shield; without it, heat would radiate out completely at night, plunging the entire surface well below freezing. * Statement II is correct: The greenhouse effect of heat trapped within the atmospheric column maintains the planet's baseline global average surface temperature at a hospitable $15^{\circ}C$. * Statement III is correct: Certain atmospheric gases, such as carbon dioxide and water vapor, are molecularly optimized to absorb and trap outgoing long-wave terrestrial infrared radiation, preserving warmth.

Question 8

Which organization has enacted the Nature Restoration Law (NRL) to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss?

Accepted Answer

The European Union. * (a) The European Union is correct: The European Union officially enacted the continent-wide Nature Restoration Law, which came into force in August 2024. * The law establishes legally binding targets requiring member states to restore at least 20% of the EU's degraded land and sea areas by 2030, and all ecosystems in need of recovery by 2050.

Question 9

The World Bank warned that India could become one of the first places where wet-bulb temperatures routinely exceed 35°C. Which of the following statements best reflect(s) the implication of the above-said report?
I. Peninsular India will most likely suffer from flooding, tropical cyclones and droughts.
II. The survival of animals including humans will be affected as shedding of their body heat through perspiration becomes difficult.

Accepted Answer

II only. * Both statements reflect the findings and implications of the climate risk report. * Statement II is correct: When wet-bulb temperatures cross 35°C, high humidity prevents sweat from evaporating efficiently, making it extremely difficult for humans and animals to shed internal body heat via perspiration, severely threatening basic survival. * Statement I is correct: This extreme heat stress is coupled with increased precipitation anomalies, escalating the risks of severe monsoon flooding, frequent tropical cyclones, and deep droughts across Peninsular India.

Environment: Climate Change & Conventions PYQ.

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