Previous year UPSC prelims questions – Climate Change (Environment)

1. Consider the following activities:

1. Spreading finely ground basalt rock on farmlands extensively
2. Increasing the alkalinity of oceans by adding lime
3. Capturing carbon dioxide released by various industries and pumping it into abandoned subterranean mines in the form of carbonated waters

How many of the above activities are often considered and discussed for carbon capture and sequestration? [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2023 Prelims]

2. Consider the following statements:

Statement-I: Carbon markets are likely to be one of the most widespread tools in the fight against climate change.

Statement-II: Carbon markets transfer resources from the private sector to the State.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements? [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2023 Prelims]

3. “Climate Action Tracker” which monitors the emission reduction pledges of different countries is a: [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2022 Prelims]

4. Consider the following statements:

1. “The Climate Group” is an international non-profit organization that drives

climate action by building large networks and runs them.

2. The International Energy Agency in partnership with the Climate Group launched a global initiative “EP100”.
3. EP100 brings together leading companies committed to driving innovation in energy efficiency and increasing competitiveness while delivering on emission reduction goals.
4. Some Indian companies are members of EP100.
5. The International Energy Agency is the Secretariat to the “Under2 Coalition”.

Which of the statements given above are correct? [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2022 Prelims]

5. The ‘Common Carbon Metric’, supported by UNEP, had been developed for [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2021 Prelims]

6. Which of the following statements best describes the term ‘Social Cost of Carbon’?

It is a measure, in monetary value, of the

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]

7. In rural road construction, the use of which of the following is preferred for ensuring environmental sustainability or to reduce carbon footprint?

1. Copper slag
2. Cold mix asphalt technology
3. Geotextiles
4. Hot mix asphalt technology
5. Portland cement

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]

8. 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?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]

9. Which of the following statements are correct about the deposits of ‘methane hydrate’?

1. Global warming might trigger the release of methane gas from these deposits.
2. Large deposits of ‘methane hydrate’ are found in Arctic Tundra and under the seafloor.
3. Methane in atmosphere oxidizes to carbon dioxide after a decade or two.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]

10. Which of the following statements best describes “carbon fertilisation”? [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2018 Prelims]

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

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2018 Prelims]

12. With reference to ‘Global Climate Change Alliance’, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. It is an initiative of the European Union.
2. It provides technical and financial support to targeted developing countries to integrate climate change into their development policies and budgets.
3. It is coordinated by World Resources Institute (WRI) and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2017 Prelims]

13. In the context of mitigating the impending global warming due to anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide, which of the following can be the potential sites for carbon sequestration?

1. Abandoned and uneconomic coal seams
2. Depleted oil and gas reservoirs
3. Subterranean deep saline formations

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2017 Prelims]

14. The term ‘Intended Nationally Determined Contributions’ is sometimes seen in the news in the context of

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2016 Prelims]

15. What is Greenhouse Gas Protocol? [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2016 Prelims]

16. Consider the following pairs

Terms sometimes                                Their origin
seen in the news

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?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2016 Prelims]

17. With reference to the Agreement at the UNFCCC Meeting in Paris in 2015, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. The Agreement was signed by all the member countries of the UN and it will go into effect in 2017.
2. The Agreement aims to limit the greenhouse gas emissions so that the rise in average global temperature by the end of this century does not exceed 2°C or even 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
3. Developed countries acknowledged their historical responsibility in global warming and committed to donate $1000 billion a year from 2020 to help developing countries to cope with climate change.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2016 Prelims]

18. 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.

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2016 Prelims]

19. Which of the following statements regarding ‘Green Climate Fund’ is/are correct?

1. It is intended to assist the developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change.
2. It is founded under the aegis of UNEP, OECD, Asian Development Bank and World Bank.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2015 Prelims]

20. With reference to ‘Global Environment Facility’, which of the following statements is/are correct?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2014 Prelims]

21. Which of the following adds/add carbon dioxide to the carbon cycle on the planet Earth?

1. Volcanic action
2. Respiration
3. Photosynthesis
4. Decay of organic matter

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2014 Prelims]

22. The scientific view is that the increase in global temperature should not exceed 2°C above pre-industrial level. If the global temperature increases beyond 3°C above the pre-industrial level, what can be its possible impact/impacts on the world?

1. Terrestrial biosphere tends toward a net carbon source.
2. Widespread coral mortality will occur.
3. All the global wetlands will permanently disappear.
4. Cultivation of cereals will not be possible anywhere in the world.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2014 Prelims]

23. The increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the air is slowly raising the temperature of the atmosphere, because it absorbs

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2012 Prelims]

24. Regarding “carbon credits”, which one of the following statements is not correct?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2011 Prelims]

25. Human activities in the recent past have caused the increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but a lot of it does not remain in the lower atmosphere because of

1. its escape into the outer stratosphere.
2. the photosynthesis by phytoplankton in the oceans
3. the trapping of air in the polar ice caps.

Which of the statements given above is/ are correct?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2011 Prelims]

26. Consider the following:

1. Photosynthesis
2. Respiration
3. Decay of organic matter
4. volcanic action

Which of the above add carbon dioxide to the carbon cycle on Earth?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2011 Prelims]

27. The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), a UN mechanism to assist countries transition towards greener and more inclusive economies, emerged at [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2018 Prelims]