'Basel Convention', 'Rotterdam Convention' and 'Stockholm Convention' relate to which of the following?
- A.Human Rights of Prisoners
- B.Management of Pollutants
- C.Conservation of Wetlands
- D.Conservation of Rivers
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is B, Management of Pollutants. All three treaties deal with hazardous chemicals and wastes, and they share a joint secretariat under UNEP.
The Basel Convention (1989) controls the movement of hazardous wastes across borders and their disposal, mainly to stop rich countries dumping waste in poorer ones. The Rotterdam Convention (1998) requires prior informed consent before certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides are exported. The Stockholm Convention (2001) aims to eliminate or restrict persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as DDT, aldrin and PCBs, which stay in the environment for long and build up in food chains. India is a party to all three.
A is wrong because prisoners' rights are covered by UN standards such as the Nelson Mandela Rules, not these treaties. C is wrong because wetlands are protected by the Ramsar Convention of 1971. D is wrong because none of the three is a river-conservation treaty.
Exam tip: Basel = hazardous waste movement, Rotterdam = prior informed consent, Stockholm = POPs.
Practice Questions
View allWhich one of the following statements with regard to growth of coral reefs is not correct?
- A.Coral can grow abundantly in freshwater.
- B.It requires warm water between 23 °C-25 °C.
- C.It requires shallow saltwater, not deeper than 50 metres.
- D.It requires plenty of sunlight to aid photosynthesis.
Show answer
Reef-building corals are marine animals and die in fresh water, so this statement is false. Corals are tiny polyps that build skeletons of calcium carbonate and live with algae called zooxanthellae inside their tissues.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following biosphere reserves is spread over three States in India?
- A.Nilgiri
- B.Achanakmar-Amarkantak
- C.Seshachalam
- D.Agasthyamalai
Show answer
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve spreads across Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. Set up in 1986, Nilgiri was India's first biosphere reserve, and in 2000 it became the first Indian reserve on UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
Read the full explanation →Which of the following is/are renewable source(s) of energy? 1. Fossil fuel 2. Biofuel 3. Uranium 4. Hydropower Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- A.2 only
- B.3 and 4
- C.1 and 3
- D.2 and 4
Show answer
Biofuel and hydropower are renewable because nature replaces them within a human lifetime, while fossil fuels and uranium are not.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following is NOT decomposed by bacterial action ?
- A.Vegetable remains
- B.Plastic materials
- C.Animal carcasses
- D.Wastes of flowers
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Ordinary plastics are non-biodegradable, so bacteria and fungi cannot break them down in any useful length of time. Most plastics, such as polyethylene, polypropylene and PVC, are long synthetic polymers made from petroleum.
Read the full explanation →According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which one of the following is the largest source of sulphur dioxide emissions?
- A.Locomotives using fossil fuels
- B.Ships using fossil fuels
- C.Extraction of metals from ores
- D.Power plants using fossil fuels
Show answer
The EPA names the burning of fossil fuels by power plants and other industrial facilities as the largest source of sulphur dioxide.
Read the full explanation →