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EnvironmentHard

By how much does the GEF-8 project aim to expand India's conservation estate, over and above the area already under protection?

  1. A.3 per cent over the existing 27 per cent
  2. B.5 per cent over the existing 25 per cent
  3. C.10 per cent over the existing 20 per cent
  4. D.7 per cent over the existing 23 per cent

Correct answer

A. 3 per cent over the existing 27 per cent

Explanation

The correct answer is 3 per cent over the existing 27 per cent. The project aims to add three per cent of India's land and marine area to the country's conservation estate, above the twenty-seven per cent already under protection, doing so through OECMs and other conservation initiatives that include community and private conservation areas. The remaining options pair figures that do not appear in the release and would also misstate the baseline share of land and marine area currently protected. This target connects directly to Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the goal popularly called 30x30, and to National Biodiversity Target 3 under the updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. Candidates should also recall the physical targets attached to the project, namely 50,000 hectares of new terrestrial conservation areas, restoration of at least 5,000 hectares of degraded land, and direct benefits to at least 50,000 people, half of them women.

Read the full article: I-OECM Guidelines 2026 Released at CBD COP-17 in Yerevan

Practice Questions

Q1.EnvironmentEasy

The Guidelines for designation of India's Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (I-OECMs) 2026 were released at CBD COP-17 held in which city?

  1. A.Cali
  2. B.Yerevan
  3. C.Baku
  4. D.Montreal
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Yerevan

The correct answer is Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, where the seventeenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity was held and where Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav released the guidelines at a side event on 3 November 2026.

Q2.EnvironmentMedium

To which body must applications for I-OECM recognition be submitted in the first instance?

  1. A.National Biodiversity Authority
  2. B.Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
  3. C.UNEP-WCMC
  4. D.State Biodiversity Board
Show answer
Correct answer: A. National Biodiversity Authority

Applications from Central and State government departments, agencies and institutions, local self-governments and Biodiversity Management Committees go to the NBA, which conducts a preliminary examination.

Q3.EnvironmentMedium

What is the total financing of the GEF-8 project commissioned to implement the I-OECM Guidelines?

  1. A.USD 6.65 million
  2. B.USD 54.14 million
  3. C.USD 60.79 million
  4. D.USD 27.30 million
Show answer
Correct answer: C. USD 60.79 million

The correct answer is USD 60.79 million, the total financing of the project titled Enhancing the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity to meet India's commitment to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets by 2030.

Q5.EnvironmentEasy

Which sector is the focus of the Implementation Agreement signed under NDC-TIA Phase II?

  1. A.Decarbonisation of road freight
  2. B.Expansion of metro rail networks
  3. C.Green hydrogen for fertiliser plants
  4. D.Offshore wind power generation
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Decarbonisation of road freight

The agreement formalises collaboration among the project partners so that cutting emissions from the movement of goods by road moves faster, which is treated as an important part of India's transition to a transport system that is sustainable, energy-efficient and low in carbon.