Environment and Ecology

21. Recently, thousands of birds were killed in the shoreline of which one

Recently, thousands of birds were killed in the shoreline of which one of the following lakes of India by the infection of avian botulism, a deadly neuro-muscular illness ?

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Haflong lake, Assam
Sukhna lake, Chandigarh
Badkhal lake, Haryana
Sambhar lake, Rajasthan
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2020
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In late 2019, thousands of migratory birds died at Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan due to an outbreak of avian botulism.
Avian botulism is a neuro-muscular illness caused by toxins produced by the bacterium *Clostridium botulinum*, typically under warm, stagnant water conditions.
Sambhar Lake is India’s largest inland salt lake and a crucial wetland for migratory birds. The mass death raised significant environmental concerns.

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22. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code

Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists :

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List-I
(Convention)		List-II
(Primarily related to)
A. Basel Convention1. Organic pollutants
B. Rotterdam Convention2. Mercury
C. Stockholm Convention3. Hazardous wastes
D. Minamata Convention4. Pesticides
A-3, B-1, C-4, D-2
A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3
A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2
A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2019
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Let’s match the Conventions with their primary focus:
– Basel Convention: Adopted in 1989, it controls transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal. Matches with ‘Hazardous wastes’ (3).
– Rotterdam Convention: Adopted in 1998, it established the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade. Matches with ‘Pesticides’ (4) and hazardous chemicals.
– Stockholm Convention: Adopted in 2001, it is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Matches with ‘Organic pollutants’ (specifically POPs) (1).
– Minamata Convention: Adopted in 2013, it is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury. Matches with ‘Mercury’ (2).
The correct matching is A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2.
– Basel Convention: Hazardous waste movement.
– Rotterdam Convention: Prior Informed Consent for chemicals/pesticides.
– Stockholm Convention: Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).
– Minamata Convention: Mercury pollution.
These conventions are key international environmental agreements aimed at regulating dangerous substances and waste to protect global health and ecosystems. The Rotterdam Convention covers a broad range of hazardous chemicals and pesticides, but ‘Pesticides’ is the most fitting primary focus among the given options for B.

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23. Which one of the following is an eco-friendly solvent ?

Which one of the following is an eco-friendly solvent ?

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Liquid ammonia
Carbon disulphide
Benzene
Water
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2018
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An eco-friendly or green solvent minimizes environmental impact. Water is considered the most eco-friendly solvent due to its abundance, low cost, non-toxicity, non-flammability, and lack of harmful vapours. Other options are less environmentally friendly: Liquid ammonia is corrosive and toxic. Carbon disulphide is toxic, highly flammable, and volatile. Benzene is a known carcinogen, toxic, and volatile.
Water is widely regarded as the most eco-friendly solvent.
Green chemistry aims to design chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances. Choosing appropriate solvents is a key aspect of green chemistry.

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24. Which one of the following gases is not responsible for global warming

Which one of the following gases is not responsible for global warming ?

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Water vapour
Chlorofluorocarbons
Nitrogen
Methane
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2018
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Greenhouse gases are atmospheric gases that absorb and emit infrared radiation, contributing to the greenhouse effect and thus global warming. Common greenhouse gases include water vapour (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), ozone (O3), and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Nitrogen (N2), despite being the most abundant gas in Earth’s atmosphere, is a diatomic molecule that does not significantly absorb infrared radiation and is therefore not considered a greenhouse gas.
Nitrogen (N2) is not a greenhouse gas.
The greenhouse effect is a natural process essential for maintaining the Earth’s temperature, but human activities have increased the concentration of greenhouse gases, leading to enhanced warming. While N2 is not a greenhouse gas, some nitrogen compounds like N2O are potent greenhouse gases.

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25. Which of the following statements about the Paris Agreement on Climate

Which of the following statements about the Paris Agreement on Climate Change is/are correct ?

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  • 1. The Agreement recognizes the developing countries’ right to development and their efforts to harmonize development with environment, while protecting the interests of the most vulnerable.
  • 2. The objective of the Agreement ensures that it is mitigation-centric.

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2017
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Statement 1 is correct. The Paris Agreement, within the framework of the UNFCCC, acknowledges the principle of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities, recognizing the developmental needs of developing countries while also addressing climate change impacts and vulnerabilities. Statement 2 is incorrect because the Paris Agreement is not solely mitigation-centric. It also has strong components on adaptation, finance, technology transfer, capacity building, and transparency.
The Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming, and its objectives cover mitigation, adaptation, and support mechanisms like finance and technology.
The central aim of the Paris Agreement is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

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26. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code

Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists:
List I (Wildlife Sanctuaries)
List II (State)

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A. Mahananda1. Odisha
B. Malabar2. Tamil Nadu
C. Satyamangalam3. West Bengal
D. Lakhari Valley4. Kerala

Code:

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1 2 4 3
1 4 2 3
3 4 2 1
3 2 4 1
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2017
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The correct match is A-3, B-4, C-2, D-1.
Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary is in West Bengal. Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary is in Kerala. Satyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary is in Tamil Nadu. Lakhari Valley (or Lakhari Ghati) Wildlife Sanctuary is in Odisha.
Matching wildlife sanctuaries/national parks with their respective states is a common type of question in geography and environment sections of competitive exams. Knowing the locations of major protected areas is important.

27. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in November 20

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in November 2016, has constituted a four-member team for conservation and management of which one of the following lakes?

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Dal Lake, Jammu and Kashmir
Damdama Lake, Haryana
Loktak Lake, Manipur
Chilika Lake, Odisha
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2017
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The correct answer is Loktak Lake, Manipur.
In November 2016, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change constituted a four-member expert committee specifically for the conservation and management of Loktak Lake in Manipur. Loktak Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India and is known for its floating phumdis (heterogeneous mass of vegetation, soil, and organic matter).
Loktak Lake is a Ramsar Site (Wetland of International Importance) and is facing significant ecological challenges, including habitat degradation, pollution, and issues related to the phumdis and associated structures. The committee was tasked with suggesting measures for effective conservation and sustainable development of the lake and its surrounding areas.

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28. Which one of the following National Parks is an example of protected w

Which one of the following National Parks is an example of protected waterfowl habitat under the Ramsar Convention?

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Keoladeo National Park
Bandipur National Park
Dudhwa National Park
Jim Corbett National Park
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CBI DSP LDCE – 2023
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Keoladeo National Park (formerly Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary) in Rajasthan is a famous bird sanctuary and a designated Ramsar site (Wetland of International Importance) specifically recognized for its rich waterfowl habitat.
The Ramsar Convention deals with the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. Keoladeo National Park is a prominent example of a protected wetland area in India, particularly significant for migratory waterfowl.
Bandipur, Dudhwa, and Jim Corbett National Parks are primarily known for their forest ecosystems and terrestrial wildlife (tigers, elephants, rhinos) although they may contain water bodies. Keoladeo was inscribed as a Ramsar site in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

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29. Which of the following statements about the Chipko Movement is/are cor

Which of the following statements about the Chipko Movement is/are correct?

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  • 1. It was opposed to the commercial felling of trees in hill areas.
  • 2. It was a non-violent movement.
  • 3. It supported construction of dams in hilly regions.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1 and 2 only
1, 2 and 3
2 and 3 only
1 only
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CBI DSP LDCE – 2023
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The correct option is A) 1 and 2 only. Let’s evaluate the statements:
1. It was opposed to the commercial felling of trees in hill areas: Correct. The Chipko movement began as a protest against the practice of clear-felling forests for commercial purposes by outside contractors, which threatened the ecological balance and the livelihoods of local communities dependent on forests.
2. It was a non-violent movement: Correct. The core tactic of the movement was hugging trees (Chipko means ‘to stick’ or ‘to hug’) to prevent them from being cut, employing non-violent resistance methods championed by figures like Gaura Devi and Chandi Prasad Bhatt.
3. It supported construction of dams in hilly regions: Incorrect. The Chipko movement and subsequent environmental activism in the Himalayas generally opposed large-scale development projects like big dams and mining, recognizing their potential for environmental damage and displacement in the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.
– Chipko movement opposed commercial logging.
– It was a non-violent movement where people hugged trees.
– Environmental movements in the region often opposed large infrastructure projects like dams.
The Chipko movement gained prominence in the 1970s in the Uttarakhand region (then part of Uttar Pradesh). It is seen as a precursor to many environmental movements in India and around the world. Sunderlal Bahuguna was a prominent leader who popularized the movement’s message.

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30. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which one of t

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which one of the following is the largest source of sulphur dioxide emissions ?

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Locomotives using fossil fuels
Ships using fossil fuels
Extraction of metals from ores
Power plants using fossil fuels
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2024
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The correct option is D.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and most environmental agencies globally, the largest source of sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions is the burning of fossil fuels, particularly coal, by power plants and other industrial facilities. Fossil fuels often contain sulphur, which is converted to SO2 when burned. Power plants, due to the large volume of fuel consumed, are the dominant source.
Other sources like locomotives, ships using fossil fuels, and metal extraction processes also contribute to SO2 emissions, but typically to a lesser extent compared to large power generation facilities. SO2 is a major air pollutant contributing to acid rain and respiratory problems.

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