The following questions in
2017 Prelims were the more difficult and obscure ones. I have given below the
questions, answers, and explanations where necessary.
1. With reference to ‘Global Climate
Change Alliance’, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- It is an initiative of the European Union.
- It provides technical and financial support to targeted
developing countries to integrate climate change into their development
policies and budgets.
- It is coordinated by World Resources Institute (WRI)
and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).
Select the correct answer using the code
given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer:
(a)
Explanation
(from www.gcca.eu):
The GCCA was established
by the European Union (EU) in 2007 to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with
developing countries, in particular least developed countries (LDCs) and small
island developing States (SIDS). With a budget of more than €300 million it is
one of the most significant climate initiatives in the world. By 20It supports
51 programmes around the world and is active in 38 Countries, 8 regions and at
the global level.
By fostering effective
dialogue and cooperation on climate change, the Alliance helps to ensure that
poor developing countries most vulnerable to climate change increase their
capacities to adapt to the effects of climate change, in support of the
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Where this
benefits their poverty reduction objectives, the Alliance also helps such
countries to participate in the global climate change mitigation effort.
2. With reference to the role of
UN-Habitat in the United Nations programme working towards a better urban
future, which of the statements is/are correct?
- UN-Habitat has been mandated by the United Nations General
Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and
cities to provide adequate shelter for all.
- Its partners are either governments or local urban
authorities only.
- UN-Habitat contributes to the overall objective of the
United Nations system to reduce poverty and to promote access to safe
drinking water and basic sanitation.
Select the correct answer using the code
given below:
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1 only
Answer: (b)
Explanation (from www.unhabitat.org):
UN-Habitat is the UN programme
working towards a better urban future. Its mission is to promote socially and environmentally
sustainable human settlements development and the achievement of adequate
shelter for all.
The mandate of UN-Habitat is further derived from other
internationally agreed upon development goals, including those established in
the UN Millennium Declaration — in particular the target on achieving a
significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum-dwellers by
the year 2020 and the target to halve the proportion of people without sustainable
access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by the year 2015.
UN-Habitat relies almost
entirely on voluntary contributions from governments, local authorities,
multi-donor trust funds, intergovernmental institutions and the private sector.
(See also Chap. 15, P.534 of the book for
information on UN-Habitat Conferences.)
3. Consider the following statements:
- Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) to Reduce Short
Lived Climate Pollutants is a unique initiative of G20 group of countries.
- The CCAC focuses on methane, black carbon and hydrofluorocarbons.
Which of the statements given above
is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer:
(b)
Explanation
(from www.ccacoalition.org):
The Climate & Clean Air Coalition is the only
global effort that unites governments, civil society and private sector,
committed to improving air quality and protecting the climate in next few
decades by reducing short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP) across sectors.
Recognising that mitigating the impacts of short-lived
climate pollutants is critical for addressing near-term climate change and that
there are many cost-effective options available, the governments of Bangladesh,
Canada, Ghana, Mexico, Sweden and the United States, along with the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), came together to initiate the first
effort to treat these pollutants as a collective challenge. Together, they
formed a unique initiative to support fast action and make a difference on
several fronts at once: public health, food and energy security and climate.
The CCAC is reducing SLCPs by focusing on practical action
in key areas such as diesel, oil & gas, waste, bricks, hydrofluorocarbons,
household energy, and agriculture. These initiatives were chosen to ensure
rapid delivery of climate and clean air benefits by reducing key short-lived
climate pollutants, including methane, black carbon and hydrofluorocarbons
(HFCs). They seek to promote near-term reductions of SLCPs at a substantial
scale worldwide, and to engage high-level stakeholders.
4. The term ‘Domestic Content
Requirement’ is sometimes seen in the news with reference to
(a) Developing solar power production in
our country
(b) Granting licences to foreign T.V.
channels in our country
(c) Exporting our food products to other
countries
(d) Permitting foreign educational
institutions to set up their campuses in our country
Answer: (a)
Explanation (from www.mnre.gov.in
and other reports):
The Government of India
launched the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission in 2010.
JNNSM aims at deploying solar power across the country but it also mandates to ensure
that development across the entire value chain. Hence, developing domestic
manufacturing capacity across value chain is also one of the thrust areas of
the Mission. To ensure the development of domestic manufacturing, provision of Domestic
Content Requirement (DCR) was introduced under the mission in Phase II.
In 2014, the US filed a second complaint against India and
the second phase of its National Solar Mission at World Trade Organization (WTO).
It said India's programme violated trade agreements between the two countries
by restricting US companies from doing business in India. The complaint alleged
that the DCR mandate put into place by India discriminated against US exports
and favoured Indian manufacturers of solar panels and cells. In 2015, WTO ruled that DCR in India's solar power
development programme did conflict with international rules of imports.
5. From the ecological point of view,
which one of the followings assumes importance in being a good link between the
Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats?
(a) Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve
(b) Nallamala Forest
(c) Nagarhole National Park
(d) Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve
Answer: (a)
Explanation (from Wikipedia):
Sathyamangalam forest range is a significant wildlife
corridor in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve between the Western Ghats and the
rest of the Eastern Ghats and a genetic link between the four other protected
areas which it adjoins, including the Biligiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife
Sanctuary, Sigur Plateau, Mudumalai National Park and Bandipur National Park.
6. Consider the following statements in
respect of Trade Related Analysis of Fauna and Flora in Commerce (TRAFFIC):
- TRAFFIC is a bureau under United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP).
- The mission of TRAFFIC is to ensure that trade in wild
plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature.
Which of the above statements is/are
correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (b)
Explanation (from www.traffic.org):
TRAFFIC, the
wildlife trade monitoring network, is the leading non-governmental organization
working globally on trade in wild animals and plants in the context of both
biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
TRAFFIC’s mission is to
ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the
conservation of nature. TRAFFIC's vision is of a
world where wildlife trade is: managed in a way that maintains healthy wildlife
populations and ecosystems; contributes to meeting human needs; supports local
and national economies; and helps motivate commitments to conserve wild species
and habitats.
7. In the context of solving pollution
problems, what is/are the advantage/advantages of bioremediation technique?
- It is a technique for cleaning up pollution by
enhancing the same biodegradation process that occurs in nature.
- Any contaminant with heavy metals such as cadmium and
lead can be readily and completely treated by bioremediation using
microorganisms.
- Genetic engineering can be used to create
microorganisms specifically designed for bioremediation.
Select the correct answer using the code given
below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (c)
Note:
(d) could also be deemed correct. Bioremediation has been used for removing
heavy metals, but it is not clear whether ‘heavy metals such as cadmium
and lead can be readily and completely treated by bioremediation.’
8. Due to some reasons, if there is a huge
fall in the population of species of butterflies, what could be its likely
consequence or consequences?
- Pollination of some plants could be adversely affected.
- There could be a drastic increase in the fungal
infections of some cultivated plants.
- It could lead to a fall in the population of some
species of wasps, spiders and birds.
Select the correct answer using the code
given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (c)
Explanation: Butterflies pollinate some wild flowers. Since some species
of wasps, spiders and birds are predators of butterflies, decline of the latter
could lead to a fall in the population of the predators.
9. It is possible to produce algae based
biofuels, but what is/are the likely limitation(s) of developing countries in
promoting this industry?
- Production of algae based biofuels is possible in seas
only and not on continents.
- Setting up and engineering the algae based biofuel
production requires high level of expertise/technology until the
construction is completed.
- Economically viable production necessitates the setting
up of large scale facilities which may raise ecological and social
concerns.
Select the correct answer using the code
given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b)
