Q 1 . Consider the following statements:
(1) The International Solar Alliance was launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2015.
(2) The Alliance includes all the member countries of the United Nations.
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
(a) EXPLANATION : The COP-21 Climate Conference was held in Paris,France in 2015. During this conference, India and France launched the International Solar Alliance (ISA). International Solar Alliance includes an alliance of 123 signatory countries located between Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. While ISA was launched on Sidelines of Paris Summit, but it includes only the 123 signatory countries between Capricorn and Cancer receiving sunlight for 300 days or more.
Q 2 . 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 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
(b) EXPLANATION : At the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit on 25 September 2015, world leaders adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change by 2030. The history of the SDGs can be traced to 1972 when governments met under the auspices of the United Nations Human and Environment Conference. The ‘Club of Rome’ is a global think tank that deals with a range of international political issues.
Q 3 . The term ‘Intended Nationally Determined Contributions’ is sometimes seen in the news in the context of
(a) pledges made by the European countries to rehabilitate refugees from the war-affected Middle East
(b) plan of action outlined by the countries of the world to combat climate change
(c) capital contributed by the member countries in the establishment of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
(d) plan of action outlined by the countries of the world regarding Sustainable Development Goals
(b) EXPLANATION : Countries across the globe committed to create a new international climate agreement by the conclusion of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris in December 2015. INDC are associated with UNFCCC-Climate change.
Q 4 . What is/are the importance/importances of the ‘United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification’?
1 . It aims to promote effective action through innovative national programs and supportive inter-national
partnerships.
2 . It has a special/particular focus on South Asia and North Africa regions, and its Secretariat facilitates the allocation of major portion of financial resources to these regions.
3 . It is committed to bottom-up approach, encouraging the participation of local people in combating the desertification.
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
(c) EXPLANATION : United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) aims to promote effective action through innovative national programmes and supportive international partnerships. UNCCD is committed to a bottom-up approach, encouraging the participation of local people in combating desertification. UNCCCD focuses on Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Northern Mediterranean and Central and Eastern Europe.
Q 5 . Which of the following best describes/ describe the aim of ‘Green India Mission’ of the Government of India?
1 . Incorporating environmental benefits and costs into the Union and State Budgets thereby implementing the ‘green accounting’.
2 . Launching the second green revolution to enhance agricultural 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
(c) EXPLANATION : The National Mission for a Green India was announced by the Prime Minister as one of the eight Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). It recognizes that climate change phenomenon will seriously affect and alter the distribution, type and quality of natural resources of the country. Green India Mission puts the “greening” in the context of climate change adaptation and mitigation, meant to enhance ecosystem services like carbon sequestration and storage (in forests and other ecosystems), hydrological services and biodiversity; along with provisioning services like fuel, fodder, small timber.
Q 6 . ‘Net metering’ is sometimes seen in the news in the context of promoting the
(a) production and use of solar energy by the households/consumers
(b) use of piped natural gas in the kitchens of households
(c) installation of CNG kits in motor-cars
(d) installation of water meters in urban households
(a) EXPLANATION : A Net metering is a billing mechanism that credits solar energy system owners for the electricity they add to the grid. Net metering allows residential and commercial customers who generate their own electricity from solar power to feed electricity they do not use back into the grid. Under Net-metering system, Customer installs a solar or wind power plant on his premise, gets it grid-connected with the electricity distribution company (DISCOM).
Q 7 . ‘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
(d) EXPLANATION : The Gadgil Commission was an environmental research commission appointed by the Ministry of Environment and Forests of India. The Commission submitted the report to the Government of India on 31 August 2011. The Kasturirangan Committee Report has sought to balance the two concerns of development and environment protection, by watering down the environmental regulation regime proposed by the Western Ghats Ecology Experts Panel’s Gadgil report in 2012. Hence they are associated with Western Ghat conservation plan.
Q 8 . On which of the following can you find the Bureau of Energy Efficiency Star Label?
1 . Ceiling fans
2 . Electric geysers
3 . Tubular fluorescent lamps
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
(d) EXPLANATION : The Bureau of Energy Efficiency is an agency of the Government of India, under the Ministry of Power created in March 2002 under the provisions of the nation’s 2001 Energy Conservation Act. The agency’s function is to develop programs which will increase the conservation and efficient use of energy in India. The government has proposed to make it mandatory for all appliances in India to have ratings by the BEE starting in January 2010.
Q 9 . In the cities of our country, which among the following atmospheric gases are normally considered in calculating the value of Air Quality Index?
1 . Carbon dioxide
2 . Carbon monoxide
3 . Nitrogen dioxide
4 . Sulfur dioxide
5 . Methane
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 1, 4 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
(b) EXPLANATION : The AQI level is based on the level of 8 atmospheric pollutants, namely sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), suspended particulates smaller than 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10), suspended particulates smaller than 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5), NH3, Pb, carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O3) measured at the monitoring stations throughout.
Q 10 . Which of the following are the key features of ‘National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA)’?
1 . River basin is the unit of planning and management.
2 . It spearheads the river conservation efforts at the national level.
3 . One of the Chief Ministers of the States through which the Ganga flows becomes the Chairman of NGRBA on rotation basis.
Select the correct answer using the code given Below.
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
(a) EXPLANATION : National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) is a financing, planning, implementing, monitoring and coordinating authority for the Ganges River, functioning under the water resource ministry of India. The mission of the organisation is to spearhead the river conservation efforts at the national level.
