2018 UPSC Prelims: Questions on Environment and Ecology (Part 3)

Additional information on topics covered by the Environment and Ecology questions that appeared in the 2018 Prelims

Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE)

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) was launched in 2013 as a response to the call at Rio+20 to support those countries wishing to embark on greener and more inclusive growth trajectories.

PAGE seeks to put sustainability at the heart of economic policies and practices to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and supports nations and regions in reframing economic policies and practices around sustainability to foster economic growth, create income and jobs, reduce poverty and inequality, and strengthen the ecological foundations of their economies. 

PAGE brings together five UN agencies – UNEP, ILO, UNDP, UNIDO, and UN Institute for Training and Research – whose mandates, expertise, and networks combined can offer integrated and holistic support to countries on inclusive green economy, ensuring coherence and avoiding duplication.

PAGE represents a mechanism to coordinate UN action on green economy and to assist countries in achieving and monitoring the emerging Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 8: "Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.” 

PAGE Countries

As of July 2018, the following countries have all met a minimum set of criteria, set out by the PAGE secretariat, and have been selected to be officially included into the Partnership as PAGE. These countries receive direct support from PAGE to advance their green economy policies and projects:

Barbados, Brazil (Mato Grosso State), Burkina Faso, China, Ghana, Guyana, Kyrgyz Republic, Mauritius, Mongolia, Peru, Senegal, South Africa, Uruguay.

The combination of universal and integrated Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change offers an unprecedented opportunity to transform our economies and finance into drivers of sustainability. PAGE is a partner in this journey.

Momentum for Change: Climate Neutral Now

Momentum for Change is an initiative spearheaded by the UN Climate Change secretariat to shine a light on the enormous groundswell of activities underway across the globe that are moving the world toward a highly resilient, low-carbon future. Momentum for Change recognizes innovative and transformative solutions that address both climate change and wider economic, social and environmental challenges.

These solutions are called Lighthouse Activities. They're some of the most practical, scalable and replicable examples of what people, businesses, governments and industries are doing to tackle climate change. Nineteen Lighthouse Activities, spread across the world, were chosen in 2017.

The areas of focus of Momentum for Change include Planetary Health, Climate Neutral Now, Women for Results, Financing for Climate Friendly Investment, ICT Solutions, and Urban Poor.  

Momentum for Change: Climate Neutral Now

The UNFCCC secretariat launched its Climate Neutral Now initiative in 2015. The following year, the secretariat launched a new pillar under its Momentum for Change initiative focused on Climate Neutral Now, as part of larger efforts to showcase successful climate action around the world.

To achieve climate neutrality, we must measure what we emit and then reduce those emissions. Even with our best efforts to reduce, daily activities and business operations will result in unavoidable emissions. This is why offsetting, only after measuring and reducing, is key for climate neutrality.

Climate neutrality is a three step process, which requires individuals, companies and governments to:

1. Measure their climate footprint;
2. Reduce their emissions as much as possible;
3. Offset what they cannot reduce with UN certified emission reductions.

Over time the need for offsets is going to decline as energy systems become ever more low carbon, healthy ecosystems like forests expand and we arrive at a climate neutral world in the second half of the century. Climate change will affect everyone, yet everyone can effect positive change starting today and beginning now.