Greenhouse Effect and Climate Change Archives

11. “Climate Action Tracker” which monitors the emission reduction pledges

“Climate Action Tracker” which monitors the emission reduction pledges of different countries is a :

Database created by coalition of research organisations

Wing of "International Panel of Climate Change"

Committee under "United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change"

Agency promoted and financed by United Nations Environment Programme and World Bank

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2022

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The correct option is A. Climate Action Tracker is a database created by a coalition of research organisations.

The Climate Action Tracker (CAT) is an independent scientific analysis produced by two research organisations: Climate Analytics and NewClimate Institute. It tracks the climate pledges and actions of countries against the emissions reductions needed to limit global warming to 1.5°C.

CAT was launched in 2009 and has been providing independent assessments of countries’ climate commitments ever since. Its analysis is highly regarded and frequently cited in international climate policy discussions. It is not part of the official structure of the IPCC or UNFCCC, although its work supports their goals.

12. In the context of India’s preparation for Climate-Smart Agriculture, c

In the context of India’s preparation for Climate-Smart Agriculture, consider the following statements:

1. The ‘Climate-Smart Village’ approach in India is a part of a project led by the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), an international research programme.
2. The project of CCAFS is carried out under Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) headquartered in France.
3. The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in India is one of the CGIAR’s research centres.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only

2 and 3 only

1 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2021

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All three statements are correct. The ‘Climate-Smart Village’ (CSV) approach was indeed pioneered by the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). CCAFS is an international research program focusing on climate change impacts on agriculture. CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research) is a global partnership that unites international organizations engaged in research for a food-secure future. The CGIAR System Organization is legally registered in France, with its main office in Montpellier, and it coordinates the activities of the various CGIAR Research Centers. ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics), located in Hyderabad, India, is one of the CGIAR’s research centers.

– Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) aims to increase productivity and incomes, adapt and build resilience to climate change, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
– The Climate-Smart Village approach demonstrates CSA practices at the community level.
– CCAFS is a leading international research program in this area.
– CGIAR is a global network of agricultural research organizations.
– ICRISAT is a CGIAR research center based in India.

CGIAR supports 15 research centers worldwide that conduct research on various aspects of agriculture, food security, and climate change. The CSV model involves working with local communities to identify and implement appropriate CSA technologies and practices based on local conditions and needs. These often include improved crop varieties, water management techniques, sustainable soil management, and diversification of farming systems.

13. The ‘Common Carbon Metric’, supported by UNEP, has been developed for

The ‘Common Carbon Metric’, supported by UNEP, has been developed for

assessing the carbon footprint of building operations around the world

enabling commercial farming entities around the world to enter carbon emission trading

enabling governments to assess the overall carbon footprint caused by their countries

assessing the overall carbon footprint caused by the use of fossil fuels by the world in a unit time

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2021

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Option A is the correct answer. The ‘Common Carbon Metric’ was developed to provide a standard approach for measuring and reporting the energy use and greenhouse gas emissions associated with building operations.

Developed by the UNEP Sustainable Buildings and Climate Initiative (SBCI), the Common Carbon Metric aims to enable consistent assessment and benchmarking of the carbon footprint of buildings globally.

This metric focuses specifically on the operational phase of buildings (energy consumption for heating, cooling, lighting, etc.), which is a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. It is not designed for carbon trading by farming entities, assessing national footprints broadly, or assessing the total global fossil fuel footprint in general.

14. What is blue carbon?

What is blue carbon?

Carbon captured by oceans and coastal ecosystems

Carbon sequestered in forest biomass and agricultural soils

Carbon contained in petroleum and natural gas

Carbon present in atmosphere

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2021

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The correct option is A. Blue carbon refers to the carbon captured and stored by the world’s coastal and marine ecosystems.

– These ecosystems include tidal marshes, mangroves, and seagrasses.
– They are highly effective at sequestering carbon, often storing it in their soils and biomass for millennia.
– Protecting and restoring blue carbon ecosystems is considered a crucial strategy for climate change mitigation.

Carbon stored in forests and terrestrial vegetation is often referred to as green carbon. Fossil carbon is the carbon contained in fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas. Atmospheric carbon is primarily in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere.

15. Which one of the following statements best describes the term ‘Social

Which one of the following statements best describes the term ‘Social Cost of Carbon’?
It is a measure, in monetary value, of the

long-term damage done by a tonne of CO₂ emissions in a given year.

requirement of fossil fuels for a country to provide goods and services to its citizens, based on the burning of those fuels.

efforts put in by a climate refugee to adapt to live in a new place.

contribution of an individual person to the carbon footprint on the planet Earth.

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2020

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The term ‘Social Cost of Carbon’ is best described as a measure, in monetary value, of the long-term damage done by a tonne of CO₂ emissions in a given year.

The Social Cost of Carbon (SCC) is an economic metric used to estimate the full cost of carbon emissions, including the future impacts of climate change such as changes in agricultural productivity, human health effects, property damage from increased flood risk, and the value of ecosystem services. It attempts to put a monetary value on the future harm caused by emitting one additional unit (typically a tonne) of carbon dioxide today.

SCC estimates are complex and involve predicting future climate impacts and discounting future damages to their present value. They are used by policymakers to evaluate the costs and benefits of policies that affect greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon taxes, emissions trading schemes, or regulations on pollution.

16. In the context of which of the following do some scientists suggest th

In the context of which of the following do some scientists suggest the use of cirrus cloud thinning technique and the injection of sulphate aerosol into stratosphere?

Creating the artificial rains in some regions

Reducing the frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones

Reducing the adverse effects of solar wind on the Earth

Reducing the global warming

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2019

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Option D is correct. Cirrus cloud thinning and the injection of sulphate aerosol into the stratosphere are proposed geoengineering techniques falling under the category of Solar Radiation Management (SRM). These methods aim to reflect incoming solar radiation back into space to counteract the warming effects of greenhouse gases, thereby reducing global warming.

– Cirrus cloud thinning involves modifying wispy, high-altitude cirrus clouds to make them less reflective or reduce their greenhouse effect.
– Stratospheric aerosol injection proposes releasing aerosols like sulfur dioxide (which forms sulfate aerosols) into the upper atmosphere to mimic the cooling effect observed after large volcanic eruptions.
– Both are geoengineering proposals aimed at increasing Earth’s albedo (reflectivity) or reducing the greenhouse effect of certain clouds.

– These techniques are controversial due to potential unintended side effects on climate patterns, environment, and complex governance issues.
– Creating artificial rain (Option A) is usually done by cloud seeding in lower atmospheric layers.
– While climate change affects tropical cyclones (Option B), these techniques are not specifically designed or guaranteed to reduce cyclone frequency or intensity, although changes in global temperatures could indirectly affect them.
– Solar wind (Option C) is a stream of charged particles from the Sun and is unrelated to these atmospheric techniques.

17. “Momentum for Change : Climate Neutral Now” is an initiative launched

“Momentum for Change : Climate Neutral Now” is an initiative launched by

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

The UNEP Secretariat

The UNFCCC Secretariat

The World Meteorological Organization

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2018

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The correct answer is C) The UNFCCC Secretariat.

“Momentum for Change: Climate Neutral Now” is an initiative spearheaded by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat. It is part of the broader “Momentum for Change” program, which showcases innovative solutions for climate action from around the world. The “Climate Neutral Now” element specifically encourages and supports individuals, organizations, and governments to measure their climate footprint, reduce emissions as much as possible, and compensate for the unavoidable emissions by purchasing UN-certified carbon credits, thereby achieving climate neutrality.

The UNFCCC is the parent treaty of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol and the 2015 Paris Agreement. Its Secretariat supports all institutions involved in the UN climate change process, including the Conference of the Parties (COP). Initiatives like “Momentum for Change” are part of the UNFCCC’s efforts to promote climate action and raise awareness globally.

18. Which of the following statements best describes “carbon fe

Which of the following statements best describes “carbon fertilization”?

Increased plant growth due to increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

Increased temperature of Earth due to increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

Increased acidity of oceans as a result of increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

Adaptation of all living beings on Earth to the climate change brought about by the increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2018

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“Carbon fertilization” is an ecological term describing a specific effect of increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a key input for photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy in the form of glucose. Increased levels of atmospheric CO2 can stimulate photosynthesis, leading to increased plant growth, especially in plants using the C3 photosynthetic pathway. This effect is known as carbon fertilization.

While increased CO2 contributes to global warming (B) and ocean acidification (C), these are distinct phenomena from carbon fertilization. Carbon fertilization is about the direct impact of elevated CO2 on plant physiology and growth. The adaptation of living beings to climate change (D) is a broad concept and not the definition of carbon fertilization.

19. With reference to the ‘Global Alliance for Climate-Smart Agriculture (

With reference to the ‘Global Alliance for Climate-Smart Agriculture (GACSA)’, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. GACSA is an outcome of the Climate Summit held in Paris in 2015.
2. Membership of GACSA does not create any binding obligations.
3. India was instrumental in the creation of GACSA.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1 and 3 only

2 only

2 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2018

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Statement 2 is correct. The Global Alliance for Climate-Smart Agriculture (GACSA) is a voluntary alliance of diverse stakeholders. Membership does not involve any binding obligations on the part of its members. Its purpose is to facilitate dialogue, knowledge exchange, and the promotion of climate-smart agriculture practices.

Statement 1 is incorrect. GACSA was launched at the UN Climate Summit in New York in September 2014, not at the Climate Summit held in Paris in 2015 (COP21). Statement 3 is incorrect. While India is a member and participant in GACSA, it was not instrumental in its creation; the initiative was primarily led by organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN.

Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) is an approach that helps guide actions to transform agri-food systems towards green and climate resilient practices. CSA aims to achieve a triple win: sustainably increasing productivity and incomes, adapting and building resilience to climate change, and reducing and/or removing greenhouse gas emissions.

20. Consider the following statements: 1. Climate and Clean Air Coalition

Consider the following statements:
1. Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) to Reduce Short Lived Climate Pollutants is a unique initiative of G20 group of countries.
2. The CCAC focuses on methane, black carbon and hydrofluorocarbons.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2017

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Statement 2 is correct, while statement 1 is incorrect.

– Statement 1 is incorrect. The Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants is a voluntary partnership of governments, intergovernmental organizations, businesses, scientific institutions, and civil society. It was launched in 2012 by Bangladesh, Canada, Ghana, Mexico, Sweden, the United States and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It is not an initiative of the G20 group of countries.
– Statement 2 is correct. The CCAC focuses on reducing short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), which have a strong impact on both climate and air quality. The main SLCPs targeted by the coalition are methane, black carbon, and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Reducing these pollutants can have rapid climate and health benefits.

SLCPs like black carbon and tropospheric ozone contribute significantly to warming, while methane is a powerful greenhouse gas. HFCs are used as refrigerants and propellants and are also potent greenhouse gases. Reducing these pollutants is seen as a way to achieve near-term climate benefits and improve air quality, complementing efforts to reduce long-lived greenhouse gases like CO2.