UPSC Prelims Mock Test – Environment 1

Here are 25 Questions, a part of our series on UPSC Prelims Mock Test.

Q1. Which of the following best describes the aim of Green India Mission of the Government of India?

1. Incorporating environment benefits and costs into the Union and State Budgets thereby implementing green accounting ‘.
2. Launching the second green revolution to enhance agriculture output so as to ensure food security to one and all in the future.
3. Restoring and enhancing forest cover and responding to climate change by a combination of adaptation and mitigation measures.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer – C

• Option (c) is correct: The mission also does not aim at incorporating environmental benefits and costs and strengthening the implementation of Green Accounting ‘. The ‗Green India Mission ‘precisely aims at restoring and enhancing forest cover and responding to climate change by a combination of adaptation and mitigation measures. Thus, only the 3rdstatement is correct.

Q2. Consider the following pairs: Terms sometimes have Their origin seen in the news

1. Annex-I: Cartagena Protocol Countries
2. Certified: Nagoya Protocol Emissions Reductions
3. Clean: Kyoto Protocol Development Mechanism

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer – C

• Option (c) is correct: The countries have been divided among annexes such as annex-1, annex2, etc. in Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) which is under Kyoto Protocol. Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) are a type of emissions unit or carbon credits issued by the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Executive Board for emission reductions achieved by CDM projects and verified by a DOE (Designated Operational Entity) under the rules of the Kyoto Protocol.

Q3. With reference to an initiative called The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB)‘, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. It is an initiative hosted by UNEP, IMF and World Economic Forum.
2. It is a global initiative that focuses on drawing attention to the economic benefits of biodiversity.
3. It presents an approach that can help decision-makers recognize, demonstrate and capture the value of ecosystems and biodiversity.

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 – C

• Option (c) is correct: The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) study was launched by Germany and the European Commission in response to a proposal by the GH+E Environment Ministers in Potsdam, Germany in 2007, to develop a global study on the economics of biodiversity loss.

Q4. What is/are unique about the Kharai camel a breed found in India?

1. It is capable of swimming up to three kilometers in seawater.
2. It survives by grazing on mangroves.
3. It lives in the wild and cannot be domesticated.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer – A

• Kharai canal can be domesticated. Thus, the third statement is incorrect.
• Kharai Camel: Kharai Camels or Swimming Camels are found only in Gujarat‘s Bhuj area. It has been recently recognized as a separate breed (one among nine such breeds found in India) of camel for better conservation.
• This camel is adapted to the extreme climate of Ran of Kachh where shallow seas and high salinity is prevalent.
• Kharai Camel can live in both coastal and dry ecosystems. It grazes on saline/mangrove trees and is tolerant to high-saline water. It can swim up to three kilometers into the sea in search of mangroves, their primary food. The camel is distinct from other camels because of its rounded back, long and thin legs, and small feet.

Q5. Recently, our scientists have discovered a new and distinct species of banana plant which attains a height of about 11 meters and has orange-colored fruit pulp. In which part of India has it been discovered?

(a) Anadaman Islands
(b) Anamalai Forests
(c) Maikala Hills
(d) Tropical rain forest of northeast

Answer- A

• Option (a) correct: Scientists at the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) have discovered a new species of banana (tallest herb) from the remote tropical rainforest of Andaman and Nicobar Islands which attains 11 meters height and has orange-colored fruit pulp. The feature that makes this plant distinct is its height. The new species is about 11 meters high, whereas the usual banana is about three to four meter high.

Q6. With reference to Red Sanders‘, sometimes seen in the news, consider the following statements:

1. It is a tree species found in a part of South India.
2. It is one of the most important trees in the tropical rain forest areas of South
   India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1only
(b) 2 Only
(c) Both 1and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer – A

• Option (a) correct: Red Sanders is a hardwood tree species that has significant commercial value. It is endemic to the state of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu border region. The species has been under severe threat and endangered as due to its huge commercial value smugglers cut these trees down in large scale. The tree species is found in tropical deciduous forests of south India.

Q7. What is the Greenhouse Gas Protocol?

(a) It is an international accounting tool for government and business leaders to understand, quantify, and manage greenhouse gas emissions
(b) It is an initiative of the United Nations to offer financial incentives to developing countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adopt eco-friendly technologies
(c) It is an inter-government agreement ratified by all the member countries of the United Nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to specified levels by the year 2022.
(d) It is one of the multilateral REDDinitiatives hosted by the World Bank.

Answer – A

• Option (a) is correct: The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) is the most widely used international accounting tool for government and business leaders to understand, quantify, and manage greenhouse gas emissions. It serves as the foundation for nearly every GHG standard and program in the world – from the International Standards Organization to The Climate Registry as well as hundreds of GHG inventories prepared by individual companies. The GHG Protocol also offers developing countries an internationally accepted management tool to help their businesses to compete in the global marketplace and their governments to make informed decisions about climate change.

Q8. Which of the following statements is/are correct? Proper design and effective implementation of UNREDD+ Programme can significantly contribute to

1. Protection of biodiversity
2. Resilience of forest ecosystems
3. Poverty reduction

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 – D

• Option (d) is correct: The successful implementation of UN REDD+ would substantially contribute to the protection of biodiversity since the forest cover is the main component of biodiversity and thus, UN REDD+ would have major bearing over the conservation of biodiversity protection. It would also enhance the resilience of the forests ecosystems. Since, the UN REDD+ program has provisions related to financial aspects of forest conservation; it is also expected to reduce poverty significantly.

Q9. Gadgil Committee Report and Kasturirangan Committee Report‘, sometimes seen in the news, are related to:

(a) Constitutional reforms
(b) Ganga Action Plan
(c) Linking of rivers
(d) Protection of Western Ghats

Answer – D

• Option (d) is correct: Gadgil Committee Report and the Kasturirangan Committee Report both committees were constituted by the union government in order to suggest comprehensive measures for the conservation and protection of Western Ghats, which is rapidly losing its ecological character due to encroachment and mismanagement.

Q10. With reference to Agenda 21‘, sometimes seen in the news, consider the following statements:

1. It is a global action plan for sustainable development.
2. It originated in the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in 2002.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer – A

• Option (a) is correct: Agenda 21 is a nonbinding, voluntarily implemented action plan of the United Nations with regard to sustainable development. It is a product of the Earth Summit (UN Conference on Environment and Development) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992.Thus, the first statement is correct whereas the 2 statement is incorrect.

Q11. Consider the following statements:

1. The Sustainable Development Goals were first proposed in 1972 by a global think tank called the Club of Rome‘.
2. The Sustainable Development Goals have to be achieved by 2030.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer – B

• option (b) is correct: The Sustainable Development Goals were NOT first proposed Rome. It was proposed in 2002 during the midterm Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also called Global agreed set of targets relating to international development. Goals once those expire at the end of 2015 and expected.

Q12. With reference to the Agreement at the UNFCCC Meeting in Paris in 2015, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. The Agreement was signed by all the member countries of the UN and it will go into effect in 2017.
2. The Agreement aims to limit greenhouse gas emissions so that the rise in average global temperature by the end of this century does not exceed 20C or even 1.50C above pre-industrial levels.
3. Developed countries acknowledged their historical responsibility in global warming and committed to donate S 1000 billion a year from 2020 to help developing countries to cope with climate change.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer – B

• Option (b) is correct: The Paris agreement would come in force in 2020. In Paris Agreement, developed countries acknowledged their historical responsibility in global warming and committed to donating $ 100 billion a year from 2020 to help developing countries to cope with climate change.

Q13. Which one of the following National Parks has a climate that varies from tropical to subtropical, temperate, and arctic?

(a) Khangchendzonga National Park
(b) Nandadevi National Park
(c) Neora Valley National Park
(d) Namdapha National Park

Answer – D

• Option (d) is correct: The Namdapha Protected area being 27°N of equator falls within the geographical sub-tropical zone and enjoys the sub-tropical climate.

Q14. With reference to the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, which of the following statements/are correct?

1. It is a global partnership of governments, businesses, civil society and indigenous
   peoples
2. It provides financial aid to universities, individual scientists and institutions involved in scientific forestry research to develop eco-friendly and climate adaptation technologies for
   sustainable forest management
3. It assists the countries in their ‗REDD+ (Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation+)‘ efforts by providing them with financial and technical assistance.

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

• Option (c) is correct: The facility has been formed under REDD+. Go to the link to read the four objectives of FCPF. This is implemented at country level, not all universities or individual levels.

Q15. BioCarbon Fund Initiative for Sustainable Forest Landscapes is managed by the

(a) Asian Development Bank
(b) International Monetary Fund
(c) United Nations Environment Program
(d) World Bank

Answer – D

• Option (d) is correct: The BioCarbon Fund Initiative for Sustainable Forest Landscapes (ISFL) is a multilateral fund, supported by donor governments and managed by the World Bank. It seeks to promote reduced greenhouse gas emissions from the land sector, from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, and from sustainable agriculture, as well as smarter land use planning, policies and practices.

Q16. Which one of the following is the best description of the term ecosystem?

(a) A community of organisms interacting with one another
(b) That part of the Earth which is inhabited by living organisms
(c) A community of organisms together with the environment in which they live.
(d) The flora and fauna of a geographical area

Answer – C

• Option (c) is correct: An ecosystem is a community of living organisms in conjunction with the non-living components of their environment, interacting as a system. These biotic and abiotic components are regarded as linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows.

Q17. With reference to an organization known as Birdlife International which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. It is a Global Partnership of Conservation Organizations.
2. The concept of biodiversity hotspots originated from this organization.It identifies the sites known/referred to as Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas ‘.

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

• Option (c) is correct: BirdLife International is a global partnership of conservation organizations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources. It is the World‘s largest partnership of conservation organisations, with over 120 partner organizations. Together the BirdLife Partnership forms the leading authority on the status of birds, their habitats, and the issues and problems affecting bird life. BirdLife‘s Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) Programme aims to identify, monitor and protect a global network of IBAs for the conservation of the world‘s birds and other wildlife.

Q18. With reference to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. IUCN is an organ of the United Nations and CITES is an international agreement between governments
2. IUCN runs thousands of field projects around the world to better manage
   natural environments.
3. CITES is legally binding on the States that have joined it, but this Convention does not take the place of national laws.

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 – B

• Option (b) is correct: IUCN is a voluntary organization, not an agency of United Nations.

Q19. Which of the following National Parks is unique in being a swamp with floating vegetation that supports a rich biodiversity?

(a) Bhitarkanika National Park
(b) KeibulLamjao National Park
(c) Keoladeo Ghana National Park
(d) Sultanpur National Park

Answer – B

• Option (b) is correct: It is the only floating park in the world, located in Manipur, North East India, and an integral part of Loktak Lake. The National Park is characterized by many floating decomposed plant materials locally called phumdis. The park is a swamp established by Mann Sharma with a floating mass of vegetation (created by accrual of organic garbage and biomass with soil particles that have been thickened into a solid form called phumdis, at the southeastern side of the Loktak Lake, which has been declared a Ramsar site. Two third to three fourth of the total park area is formed by phumdis.

Q20 What is the Rio+20 Conference, often mentioned in the news?

(a) It is the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development
(b) It is a Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade Organization
(c) It is a Conference of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(d) It is a Conference of the Member Countries of the Convention on Biological Diversity

Answer – A

• Option (a) is correct: The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), also known as Rio 2012, Rio+20, or Earth Summit 2012 was the third international conference on sustainable development aimed at reconciling the economic and environmental goals of the global community. Hosted by Brazil in Rio de Janeiro from 13 to 22 June 2012, Rio+20 was a 20-year follow-up to the 1992 Earth Summit / United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED).

Q21. With reference to dugong, a mammal found in India, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. It is a herbivorous marine animal.
2. It is found along the entire coast of India
3. It is given legal protection under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife (Protection)
   Act, 1972.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3
(d) 3 only

Answer – C

• Option (c) is correct: The dugong is the only living representative of the once-diverse family Dugongidae; its closest modern relative, Steller‘s sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas), was hunted to extinction in the 18th century. The dugong is the only strictly marine herbivorous mammal, as all species of manatee use fresh water to some degree. In India, it is found off the Gujarat Coast (Gulf of Kutch), Tamil Nadu coast (Gulf of Mannar), Palk Bay and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Q22. Which of the following statements regarding Green Climate Fund is/are correct?

1. It is intended to assist developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change.
2. It is founded under the aegis of UNEP, OECD, Asian Development Bank and World Bank.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer – A

• Option (a) is correct: The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a fund within the framework of the UNFCCC founded as a mechanism to redistribute money from the developed to the developing world, in order to assist the developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change. The Green Climate Fund was designated as an operating entity of the financial mechanism of the UNFCCC, in accordance with Article 11 of the Convention. Arrangements will be concluded between the Conference of the Parties (COP) and the Fund to ensure that it is accountable to, and functions under the guidance of, the COP.

Q23. Which one of the following is associated with the issue of control and phasing out of the use of ozone-depleting substances?

(a) Bretton Woods Conference
(b) Montreal Protocol
(c) Kyoto Protocol
(d) Nagoya Protocol

Answer – B

• Option (b) is correct: The Montreal Protocol on substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (a protocol to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer). It is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone depletion. Bretton Woods conference relates to IMF and World Bank. Kyoto Protocol is about cutting emissions of greenhouse gases. Nagoya protocol is about benefit sharing from the gains by genetic resources.

Q24. With reference to Eco-Sensitive Zones, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. Eco-sensitive zones are the areas that are declared under the Wildlife
   (Protection) Act, 1972.
2. The purpose of the declaration of Eco-Sensitive Zones is to prohibit all kinds of human activities, in those zones except agriculture.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer – D

• Option (d) is correct: Eco-sensitive zones are declared under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 and not the Wildlife Protection Act. The purpose of the declaration of ESZ is to facilitate the sustainable use of ecologically sensitive areas and to restrict uncontrolled exploitation. Hence, both statements are incorrect.

Q25. Consider the following statements:

1. The Animal Welfare Board of India is established under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
2. National Tiger Conservation Authority is a statutory body.
3. The National Ganga River Basin Authority is chaired by the Prime Minister.

Which of the statements given above is/ are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer – B

• Option (b) is correct: The Animal Welfare Board was constituted in 1962 under the provision of Section 4 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body since Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 was amended to provide for the constitution of the authority. Hence, 1st the statement is incorrect whereas 2ndstatement is correct. The National Ganga River Basin Authority is chaired by the Prime Minister. The 3rd statement is also correct.

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