(a) Explanation : ■ Ethanol, or ethyl alcohol, is a hydrocarbon that when burnt can generate heat and power engines. Ethanol can be produced both chemically from petrochemical sources by hydration of ethylene and biologically from plant biomass by sugar fermentation. So, statement 1 is correct. ■ Ethanol avoids emissions such as carbon monoxide because it burns more completely than petrol. However, tests conducted in India have shown that there is no reduction in nitrous oxides, one of the major environmental pollutants. So, statement 2 is not correct. ■ The Government of India has advanced the target for 20% ethanol blending in petrol (also called E20) to 2025 from 2030. The Ethanol Blending Programme is aimed at reducing the country’s dependence on crude oil imports, cutting carbon emissions and boosting farmers’ income. So, statement 3 is not correct.

(d) Explanation: ■ The GreenVoyage2050 Project is a partnership project between the Government of Norway and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) launched in May 2019. It aims to transform the shipping industry towards a lower carbon future. So, statement 1 and 2 are correct. ■ GreenVoyage2050 builds upon two IMO projects that may be regarded as baseline projects in this area. MARPOL Convention is supplementary to this project. MARPOL is the main International Convention aimed at the prevention of pollution from ships caused by operational or accidental causes. ■ India has been selected as the first country under IMO GreenVoyage2050 project for conduct of a pilot project related to Green Shipping. So, statement 3 is correct.

(b) Explanation : ■ Coal is the most abundant and important fossil fuel in India. Coal gasification is considered a cleaner option compared to burning of coal. In order to achieve 100 MT coal gasification projects in India by 2030, Government of India has launched the National Coal Gasification Mission. ■ Coal gasification is the process of converting coal into synthesis gas (also called syngas), which is a mixture of hydrogen (H2), carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2). The syngas can be used in a variety of applications such as in the production of electricity and making chemical products, such as fertilizers. So, statement 1 is correct. ■ Coal gasification is an in-situ method wherein oxygen is infused into the seam together with water and ignited at high temperatures, causing coal to partly oxidised into hydrogen, CO, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and hydrogen sulphide (H2S). Ex-situ reactors are designed to simulate the gasification process above the ground’s surface. Sulphur in coal is transformed to H2S and trace volumes of carbonyl sulphide during the gasification process (COS). So, statement 2 is correct. ■ There is no scrubber sludge produced by coal gasification plants, which necessitates careful and expensive disposal. The majority of the wash water is reprocessed, and residual waste waters from gasification plants can be treated effectively. As a result, coal gasification is regarded as a cleaner coal technology when compared to coal combustion. So, statement 3 is not correct.

(b) Explanation: ■ The Karikili Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu comprises two rain-fed non-perennial irrigation tanks spreading over an area. The Site is flat or gently undulating and lies near low ridged, rocky hillocks. Rainfall varies greatly from year to year, from 400 mm to almost 1,700 mm. So, pair 1 is not correctly matched. ■ The Pallikaranai Marsh, located in Tamil Nadu, is one of the last remaining natural wetlands of Chennai. It is locally known by the generic Tamil name ‘kazhuveli’ which means a flood plain or water-logged area. So, pair 2 is correctly matched. ■ Pichavaram mangrove forest is located in Tamil Nadu between two prominent estuaries, the Vellar estuary in the north and Coleroon estuary in the south. The Vellar- Coleroon estuarine complex forms the Killai backwater and Pichavaram mangroves. The backwaters are interconnected by the Vellar and Coleroon river systems. So, pair 3 is not correctly matched. ■ Sakhya Sagar is a human-made reservoir within the Madhav National Park in Madhya Pradesh. The north-eastern part maintains open water and marsh areas almost year round, whereas the north-western part is often dried out. So, pair 4 is correctly matched. ■ Pala Wetland is the largest natural wetland in Mizoram. The Site includes a relatively deep lake (over 16 metres deep on average) and its surrounding forest catchment area which climbs to almost 600m above sea level. So, pair 5 is correctly matched. So, only three pairs are correctly matched.

(c) Explanation: ■ Shifting cultivation, an age-old practice in parts of India, is also known as ‘slash and burn’ agriculture. Farmers clear a patch of land and cultivate it. When the soil fertility decreases, the farmers shift and clear a fresh patch of land for cultivation. This type of shifting allows nature to replenish the fertility of the soil. It is known by different names in different parts of the country. ■ It is jhumming in north-eastern states ; ‘Bewar’ or ‘Dahiya’ in Madhya Pradesh ; ‘Podu’ or ‘Penda’ in Andhra Pradesh ; ‘Pama Dabi’ or ‘Koman’ or Bringa’ in Odisha ; ‘Kumari’ in Western Ghats ; ‘Valre’ or ‘Waltre’ in South-eastern Rajasthan ; ‘Khil’ in the Himalayan belt ; ‘Kuruwa’ in Jharkhand ; and ‘Poonam’ in the Kerala. So, only three pairs are correctly matched.

(b) Explanation: ■ Central Ground Water Authority has been constituted under Section 3 (3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to regulate and control development and management of groundwater resources in the country. It works under the Ministry of Jal Sakti. So, statements 1 is not correct. ■ Powers & Functions: The Authority has been conferred with the following powers: • Exercise of powers under section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for issuing directions and taking such measures in respect of all the matters referred to in sub-section (2) of section 3 of the said Act. • To resort to penal provisions contained in sections 15 to 21 of the said Act. So, statement 2 is correct. • To regulate and control, manage and develop groundwater in the country and to issue necessary regulatory directions for the purpose. • Exercise of powers under section 4 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for the appointment of officers. • In exercise of powers conferred upon the CGWA, it regulates ground water development through advisories, directions, notifications etc. as and when specific situation arises. The Authority has been granting No Objection Certificates (NOC) for withdrawal of ground water by industries/ infrastructure/ mining projects. However, all users drawing/proposing to draw ground water through non- energised means and pump of up to 2 HP from a single tube well in their premises are exempted from seeking NOC. So, statement 3 is not correct. Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

(a) Explanation: ■ Most reef-building corals contain photosynthetic algae, called zooxanthellae, that live in their tissues. The corals and algae have a mutualistic relationship. The coral provides the algae with a protected environment and compounds they need for photosynthesis. In return, the algae produce oxygen and help the coral to remove wastes. Most importantly, zooxanthellae supply the coral with glucose, glycerol, and amino acids, which are the products of photosynthesis. The coral uses these products to make proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, and produce calcium carbonate. ■ Azooxanthellate corals are a group of corals that do not contain zooxanthellae and derive nourishment not from the sun but from capturing different forms of plankton. So, statement 1 is correct. ■ These groups of corals are deep-sea representatives, with the majority of species reporting from between 200 m to 1000 m. Their occurrences are also reported from shallow coastal waters. Zooxanthellate corals, meanwhile, are restricted to shallow waters. So, statement 2 is not correct. ■ Scientists have recorded four species of azooxanthellate corals for the first time from Indian waters. These new corals were found from the waters of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. So, statement 3 is not correct.

(c) Explanation : ■ Green Climate Fund (GCF) was established by 194 governments to limit or reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in developing countries, and to help vulnerable societies adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change. ■ GCF was established at Conference of Parties (COP) 16 held in Cancun (known as Cancun agreement) in 2010, under the framework of United Nation framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), as an operating entity of the Financial Mechanism of the Convention. So, statement 2 is not correct. ■ GCF is mandated to invest 50% of its resources to mitigation and 50% to adaptation in grant equivalent. At least half of its adaptation resources must be invested in the most climate vulnerable countries (SIDS, LDCs, and African States. GCF aims to leverage synergies and minimize potential trade-offs between adaptation and mitigation. So, statement 1 is correct. ■ It is designed as an operating entity of the UNFCCC’s financial mechanism and is headquartered in the Republic of Korea. It is governed by a 24 Board member Board, representing countries, and receives guidance from the Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP). So, statement 3 is correct. Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(d) Explanation: ■ Coastal erosion (or shoreline retreat) is the loss of coastal lands due to the net removal of sediments or bedrock from the shoreline. Coastal erosion is typically driven by the action of waves and currents, but also by mass wasting processes on slopes, and subsidence (particularly on muddy coasts). So, statement 1 is correct. ■ The National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), an attached office of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has been monitoring shoreline erosion since 1990, using remote sensing data and GIS mapping techniques in India. ■ Recently, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has estimated Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) for the Indian coastline, which is a cumulative impact of seven coastal parameters: shoreline change rate, sea-level change rate, coastal elevation, coastal slope, coastal geomorphology, significant wave height and tidal range. (Coastal Erosion is not a specifically mentioned parameter under CVI). So, statement 2 is correct. ■ The 15th Finance Commission has also made specific recommendations for “Mitigation Measures to Prevent Erosion” under National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) and “Resettlement of Displaced People Affected by Erosion” under National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF). To operate these funds, the Commission also suggested that NDMA and/ or the Ministry of Home Affairs may develop suitable norms for mitigation measures to prevent erosion, and to deal with the displacement of people caused by coastal and river erosion. So, statement 3 is correct.

(d) Explanation : ■ Natural Farming is a chemical-free traditional farming method. It is considered as an agroecology based diversified farming system which integrates crops, trees and livestock with functional biodiversity. So, statement 1 is correct. ■ In India, Natural farming is promoted as Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati Programme (BPKP) under centrally sponsored scheme – Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY). So, statement 2 is correct. BPKP is aimed at promoting traditional indigenous practices which reduce externally purchased inputs. It is largely based on on-farm biomass recycling with major stress on biomass mulching, use of on-farm cow dung-urine formulations; periodic soil aeration and exclusion of all synthetic chemical inputs. ■ The main aim for promotion of Natural Farming is elimination of chemical fertilisers and pesticides usage and promotion of good agronomic practices. Natural Farming also aims to sustain agriculture production with eco-friendly processes in tune with nature to produce agricultural produce free of chemicals. Soil fertility & soil organic matter is restored by natural farming practices. Natural farming systems require less water and are climate friendly. So, statement 3 is correct.