Environment and Ecology

Which of the following best describes/ describe the aim of ‘Green India Mission’ of the Government of India?

• Incorporating environmental benefits and costs into the Union and State Budgets thereby implementing the ‘green accounting’
• Launching the second green revolution to enhance agricultural output so as to ensure food security to one and all in the future
• 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.

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”2 and 3 only” option3=”3 only” option4=”1, 2 and 3″ correct=”option3″]

The Green India Mission (GIM) is one of the eight National Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).

Its primary aim is to protect, restore, and enhance India’s forest cover and to respond to climate change. This is achieved through a combination of adaptation and mitigation measures, focusing on enhancing carbon sinks, improving the ecosystem services provided by forests, and increasing the climate resilience of vulnerable communities and ecosystems.

Statement 1 refers to ‘green accounting’, which is a concept related to incorporating environmental costs and benefits into economic accounting, but it is not the core stated aim of GIM. Statement 2 refers to agricultural productivity enhancement, which is associated with ‘Green Revolution’, not GIM. Statement 3 accurately describes the core objectives of the Green India Mission.

Consider the following pairs:

Terms sometimes seen in the news	Their origin
1. Annex-I Countries	: Cartagena Protocol
2. Certified Emissions Reductions	: Nagoya Protocol
3. Clean Development Mechanism	: Kyoto Protocol

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

[amp_mcq option1=”1 and 2 only” option2=”2 and 3 only” option3=”3 only” option4=”1, 2 and 3″ correct=”option3″]

Only pair 3 is correctly matched.

– Pair 1: ‘Annex-I Countries’ are a group of developed countries and economies in transition listed in Annex I of the *United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)* and the *Kyoto Protocol*. These countries had committed to specific targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto Protocol. The Cartagena Protocol deals with biosafety (living modified organisms), not emission reduction commitments. Thus, pair 1 is incorrectly matched.
– Pair 2: ‘Certified Emissions Reductions’ (CERs) are emission reduction units generated through projects under the *Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)*, which is one of the flexible mechanisms defined in the *Kyoto Protocol*. The Nagoya Protocol deals with Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization, not emission reduction trading mechanisms. Thus, pair 2 is incorrectly matched.
– Pair 3: ‘Clean Development Mechanism’ (CDM) is indeed one of the flexible mechanisms established under the *Kyoto Protocol* to help Annex I countries meet their emission reduction commitments by undertaking emission reduction projects in developing countries. Thus, pair 3 is correctly matched.

– The Kyoto Protocol was an international treaty which extended the 1992 UNFCCC that commits state parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
– The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety is a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
– The Nagoya Protocol is another supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The term ‘Intended Nationally Deter- mined Contributions’ is sometimes seen in the news in the context of

[amp_mcq option1=”pledges made by the European countries to rehabilitate refugees from the war-affected Middle East” option2=”plan of action outlined by the countries of the world to combat climate change” option3=”capital contributed by the member countries in the establishment of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank” option4=”plan of action outlined by the countries of the world regarding Sustainable Development Goals” correct=”option2″]

The term ‘Intended Nationally Determined Contributions’ (INDCs) is directly related to the international efforts to address climate change under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

INDCs were commitments made by countries in the lead-up to the 2015 Paris Agreement. They represent each country’s plan of action outlining the steps they intend to take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. The Paris Agreement built upon INDCs, requiring countries to submit Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and update them every five years.

Option A is incorrect as INDCs are related to climate action, not refugee rehabilitation. Option C is incorrect as AIIB capital contributions are related to financial institutions, not climate change commitments. Option D is incorrect as while climate action contributes to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), INDCs/NDCs are specifically the climate action pledges under the UNFCCC, distinct from the broader SDG framework.

With reference to ‘Forest Carbon Partnership Facility’, which of the following statements is/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 Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation+)’ efforts by providing them with financial and technical assistance.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”2 and 3 only” option3=”1 and 3 only” option4=”1, 2 and 3″ correct=”option3″]

Statement 1 is correct; the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) is indeed a global partnership involving various stakeholders including governments, businesses, civil society organizations, and indigenous peoples. Statement 3 is also correct; FCPF’s primary objective is to assist developing countries in their REDD+ efforts (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation+) by providing them with financial and technical assistance to build their capacity for REDD+ implementation. Statement 2 is incorrect; while the facility supports activities related to sustainable forest management within the REDD+ framework, its focus is on supporting countries and specific REDD+ programs/projects rather than directly providing financial aid to individual scientists or universities for general scientific forestry research.

The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), administered by the World Bank, is focused on REDD+ readiness and implementation, providing financial and technical support to developing countries to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.

REDD+ is a framework created by the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) to guide activities that reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries. The ‘+’ signifies the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks. FCPF works towards building the necessary systems and capacity in developing countries to participate in future systems of positive incentives for REDD+.