Which one among the following elements is not a part of the 'Panchamrit' of India's climate action presented at COP-26?
- A.Achieving 50 percent of its energy requirements from renewable energy by 2030
- B.Achieving the target of net zero emissions by 2047
- C.Reduction of the carbon intensity of the economy by 45 percent by 2030, over the 2005 levels
- D.Reduction of total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is B, Achieving the target of net zero emissions by 2047. India's net zero target announced at COP-26 is the year 2070, not 2047.
At COP-26 in Glasgow in November 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced five commitments called the Panchamrit (five nectar elements). They are: 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity by 2030; meeting 50 percent of energy requirements from renewable energy by 2030; cutting total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030; reducing the carbon intensity of the economy by 45 percent over 2005 levels by 2030; and reaching net zero emissions by 2070. The year 2047 is the target of Viksit Bharat, the centenary of independence, which is why it is used as a distractor.
A is wrong: 50 percent of energy needs from renewables by 2030 is one of the five elements.
C is wrong: the 45 percent cut in carbon intensity over 2005 levels is part of the Panchamrit.
D is wrong: the one billion tonne cut in projected emissions is also part of it.
Exam tip: Panchamrit = 500 GW, 50 percent, 1 billion tonnes, 45 percent, net zero by 2070.
Practice Questions
View allWhich one among the following is not a renewable energy source?
- A.Solar
- B.Wind
- C.Nuclear
- D.Hydroelectric
Show answer
Explanation
The correct answer is C, Nuclear. Nuclear power runs on uranium and thorium, mined minerals whose stock is finite, so it is a non-renewable source even though it is low in carbon.
A renewable source is one that nature replenishes on a human time scale, such as sunlight, wind, flowing water, biomass, tides and the earth's internal heat. Nuclear reactors split uranium-235 or, in breeder systems, use fuel made from thorium. Once the fuel is used, it does not return; it leaves long-lived radioactive waste. India's three-stage nuclear programme, planned by Homi Bhabha, aims to stretch its small uranium and large thorium reserves, but that does not make the fuel renewable.
Option A is wrong because solar energy comes from the sun, which will keep shining for billions of years. Option B is wrong because wind is produced by the uneven heating of the earth by the sun and never runs out. Option D is wrong because hydroelectric power uses water kept moving by the water cycle.
Exam tip: clean is not always renewable; nuclear is low-carbon but non-renewable.
'R2 Code of Practices' constitutes a tool available for promoting the adoption of
- A.environmentally responsible practices in electronics recycling industry
- B.ecological management of 'Wetlands of International Importance' under the Ramsar Convention
- C.sustainable practices in the cultivation of agricultural crops in degraded lands
- D.'Environmental Impact Assessment' in the exploitation of natural resources
Show answer
Explanation
The correct answer is A, environmentally responsible practices in electronics recycling industry. R2, short for Responsible Recycling, is a standard for environmentally responsible electronics recycling.
The R2 standard was developed with the support of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and is now managed by the non-profit SERI (Sustainable Electronics Recycling International). Recycling and refurbishing firms certified under R2 must handle used electronics safely, protect workers' health, secure the data on old devices, and track hazardous parts such as lead, mercury and cadmium so that they are not dumped or exported irresponsibly. It matters because e-waste is the world's fastest-growing waste stream. In India, e-waste is governed by the E-Waste (Management) Rules.
B is wrong: Ramsar wetlands are managed under the Ramsar Convention's own guidelines and the Montreux Record, not R2.
C is wrong: R2 has nothing to do with farming on degraded lands.
D is wrong: Environmental Impact Assessment follows national EIA rules, not the R2 code.
Exam tip: R2 = Responsible Recycling of electronics (SERI); e-Stewards is a similar e-waste standard.
With reference to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that are used in making many consumer products, consider the following statements:
1. PFAS are found to be widespread in drinking water, food and food packaging materials.
2. PFAS are not easily degraded in the environment.
3. Persistent exposure to PFAS can lead to bioaccumulation in animal bodies.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- A.1 and 2 only
- B.2 and 3 only
- C.1 and 3 only
- D.1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Explanation
The correct answer is D, 1, 2 and 3. All three statements are correct about PFAS, the so-called 'forever chemicals'.
PFAS are a large family of man-made chemicals built on very strong carbon-fluorine bonds. They resist water, grease and heat, so they are used in non-stick cookware, water-proof clothing, grease-proof food packaging and fire-fighting foams. Because the carbon-fluorine bond is so hard to break, PFAS hardly degrade in nature and have spread into soil, groundwater, drinking water and food. They build up in the blood and organs of animals and humans over time, and long exposure has been linked to liver damage, weaker immunity and some cancers.
A is wrong: it leaves out statement 3, which is also true.
B is wrong: it leaves out statement 1, which is also true.
C is wrong: it leaves out statement 2, the very reason they are called forever chemicals.
Exam tip: PFAS = 'forever chemicals', carbon-fluorine bonds, non-stick and water-proof products, persistent and bioaccumulative.
In the context of solving pollution problems, what is/are the advantage/advantages of bioremediation technique ?
1. It is a technique for cleaning up pollution by enhancing the same biodegradation process that occurs in nature.
2. Any contaminant with heavy metals such as cadmium and lead can be readily and completely treated by bioremediation using microorganisms.
3. Genetic engineering can be used to create microorganisms specifically designed for bioremediation.
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
- A.1 only
- B.2 and 3 only
- C.1 and 3 only
- D.1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Explanation
The correct answer is C, 1 and 3 only. Statements 1 and 3 are correct; heavy metals cannot be readily and completely removed by microbes.
Bioremediation uses living organisms, mostly bacteria and fungi, to break down pollutants. It speeds up the natural biodegradation process by adding nutrients, oxygen or suitable microbes, and is used for oil spills and sewage. Scientists can also engineer microbes for the job: Ananda Mohan Chakrabarty's genetically modified Pseudomonas 'superbug' that digests oil is the classic example. Heavy metals such as cadmium and lead are elements, so microbes cannot destroy them; at best they change their form or help concentrate them, and the process is slow and incomplete.
A is wrong: statement 3 is also a real advantage.
B is wrong: statement 2 overstates what bioremediation can do with heavy metals.
D is wrong: statement 2 is false.
Exam tip: bioremediation works well on organic pollutants such as oil, not on heavy metals; oil-eating superbug = Pseudomonas.
Consider the following fauna :
1. Lion-tailed Macaque
2. Malabar Civet
3. Sambar Deer
How many of the above are generally nocturnal or most active after sunset?
- A.Only one
- B.Only two
- C.All three
- D.None
Show answer
Explanation
The correct answer is B, Only two. The Malabar Civet and the Sambar Deer are active after sunset, while the Lion-tailed Macaque is a daytime animal.
The Lion-tailed Macaque, found only in the rainforests of the Western Ghats, is diurnal: it feeds and moves through the canopy by day and sleeps in tall trees at night, like most monkeys. The Malabar Civet (Malabar large-spotted civet), a critically endangered small carnivore of the Western Ghats, is strictly nocturnal, as civets generally are. The Sambar, India's largest deer, is mainly nocturnal or crepuscular, grazing and browsing from dusk to dawn and resting in thick cover during the day.
A is wrong: two animals, not one, are active after sunset.
C is wrong: the Lion-tailed Macaque is active by day.
D is wrong: the civet and the sambar are both night-active.
Exam tip: monkeys and macaques are diurnal; civets, most deer like sambar, and owls are active at night.