Issues on Environment, Biodiversity & Climate Change (Part-IV)

Total Questions: 61

11. In the context of India's preparation for Climate-smart Agriculture, consider the following statements: [2021-1]

1. The 'Climate-Smart village' approach in India is a part of a project led by 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 centers.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Correct Answer: (d) 1,2 & 3
Solution:'Climate-Smart Village' project is led by CCAFS. Statement #1 is correct.
CGIAR headquarters located in Montpellier, France. Statement#2 is correct.
ICRISAT is one of the CGIAR's research centres. Statement #3 is correct.
Therefore, the correct option is "D".
Need for Climate Smart Agriculture
• Ensuring food security: Agriculture production should be increased by 60% to meet the food demand.
• Reduce yield loss: In India, crop yield decline owing to climate change (between 2010 and 2039) could be as high as 9%.
• Enhance resource efficiency: CSA activity like no-tillage is advantageous for fertilizer management and can boost yield, nutrient usage efficiency, and profitability while lowering GHG emissions.
• Meet SDG: UN’s SDG aims to end hunger and enhance environmental management.
• CSA helps in achieving these goals through sustainable agriculture and rural development.
• Combat climate change: CSA promotes crop diversification, increases water efficiency, and integrates drought-resistant crop types, all of which help lessen the disruptive effects of climate change.
• Meet international obligation: Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming by reducing GHG emissions is tied directly to the success of the CSA.
• Agroforestry and carbon sequestration could help India meet its international obligations and contribute to the global fight against climate change.

12. "Leaf litter decomposes faster than in any other biome and as a result the soil surface is often almost bare. Apart from trees, the vegetation is largely composed of plant forms that reach up into the canopy vicariously, by climbing the trees or growing as epiphytes, rooted on the upper branches of trees." This is the most likely descriptions of : [2021-1]

Correct Answer: (d) Tropical rain forest
Solution:Tropical Rainforest best fits this description.
Tropical rainforests are dense forests dominated by tall, broad-leaved trees, which can grow up to 75 meters in height. They thrive in regions with consistently high temperatures and heavy rainfall. The World Wildlife Fund classifies tropical rainforests as part of the “tropical moist broadleaf forest” category due to their broad-leaved trees and high humidity environment.
These forests are ecological treasure troves, housing an enormous variety of species and serving as vital sources of food, medicinal plants, and forest products. Nearly half of the world’s plant and animal species are estimated to inhabit tropical rainforests. Among the most prominent are the Amazon rainforest in South America, the Congo rainforest in Africa, and Southeast Asian rainforests, each hosting unique species adapted to their environments.
The tropical environment, with its high heat and abundant moisture, promotes heavy rainfall that can range between 200 and 1,000 centimeters (80–400 inches) annually. Remarkably, these forests contribute to their own precipitation; processes like evaporation and transpiration can generate up to 75% of the rainfall, sustaining a self-reinforcing cycle of moisture and growth. The tropical rainforest, therefore, is not just a passive habitat, it is a dynamic, self-regulating system, critical for maintaining the Earth’s climate and biodiversity.

13. Magnetite particles, suspected to cause neurodegenerative problems are generated as environmental pollutants from which of the following? [2021-1]

1. Brakes of motor vehicles

2. Engines of motor vehicles

3. Microwave stoves within homes

4. Power plants

5. Telephone lines

Select the correct answer using the code given below

Correct Answer: (b) 1, 2 and 4 only
Solution:Magnetite particles can act as pollutants and led to neurodegenerative problems.

Most of the time any magnetic component is used in appliances, they generate magnetic flux which produces magnetic particles. They are formed and emitted from vehicle brake wear. → #1 is right. They are formed by in-cylinder melting of engine fragments #2 is right.

They are found on the on leaf surface near power generating plants #4 is right.

14. The "Common Carbon Metric" supported by UNEP, has been developed for [2021-1]

Correct Answer: (b) Enabling commercial farming entities around the world to enter carbon emission trading
Solution:Common Carbon Metric is the calculation used to define measurement, reporting, and verification for GHG emissions associated with the operation of buildings types of particular climate regions.
Key Features of the Common Carbon Metric (CCM):
  • The CCM helps measure energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from building operations (such as heating, cooling, lighting, etc.).
  • It aims to standardize measurements and reporting of carbon emissions from the built environment to improve energy efficiency and facilitate climate-friendly policies.
  • This tool is intended to assist governments, building owners, and developers in reducing emissions from buildings, which are a major contributor to global GHG emissions.

15. 'R2 Code of Practices" constitute a tool available for promoting the adoption of : [2021-1]

Correct Answer: (a) Environmentally responsible practices in the electronics recycling industry.
Solution:

The R2 Standard was originally developed to prevent the misuse and improper recycling of electronic waste. Currently, the SERI institute defines the R2 Standard as, “the premier global environmental, worker health and safety standard for the electronics refurbishing and recycling industry”. A goal of this standard is to help prevent unnecessary recycling, and so a reuse business was born. Reuse refers to a product that’s been used but still has life in it. For products that still have life in them, they can be refurbished or fixed and then resold to an end-user until the product reaches end-of-life (which is when it becomes obsolete and can no longer be used). This idea lends itself to how the secondary market works for consumer electronics (CE) and why the R2 Standard is so important to CE manufacturers, OEMs, retailers, and resellers.

The secondary market reuse business directly impacts OEMs and larger companies like Costco, Best Buy, and Walmart, not to mention carriers like AT&T (who require R2 certification for you to do business with them). That’s because these companies get a lot of customer returns for products that have value, and retailers know these products can be resold on the secondary market.

16. Why is there a concern about copper smelting plants? [2021-1]

1. They may release lethal quantities of carbon monoxide into the environment

2. The copper slag can cause the leaching pf some heavy metals into the environment

3. They may release sulphur dioxide as a pollutant

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Correct Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only
Solution:
  • Copper smelting plants separate elemental copper from copper concentrates through multiple sulphide oxidizing stages.
  • Smelting is a process of applying heat to ore in order to extract a base metal.
  • The copper concentrates are fed through the flash smelting furnace with oxygen-enriched air.
  • In the furnace, the concentrates are instantly oxidized, after which they melt and separate by their own reaction heat into copper matte with a grade of 65% and slag consisting of iron oxide, silica, and other compounds.
  • Extractive metallurgical and smelting processes can be highly polluting activities.
  • Some facilities that carry out metal and smelting processes are known to emit high quantities of air pollutants such as hydrogen fluoride, sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, offensive and noxious smoke fumes, vapors, gases, and other toxins.
  • Due to the application of pyro-metallurgical processes in copper smelters, significant air pollution occurs with suspended particles.
  • These particles contain high concentrations of Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Nickel (Ni) and Arsenic (As).
  • The carbon (or carbon monoxide derived from it) removes oxygen from the ore, leaving the elemental metal.
  • The carbon thus oxidizes in two stages, producing first carbon monoxide and then carbon dioxide.

17. With reference to furnace oil, consider the following statements: [2021-1]

1. It is a product of oil refineries

2. Some industries use it to generate power

3. Its use causes sulphur emissions into the environment

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Correct Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3
Solution:Fuel oil (also known as heavy oil, marine fuel, bunker, furnace oil, or gasoil) is a fraction obtained from petroleum distillation. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
Diesel-based power plants may use Diesel, Furnace Oil, Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO), Low Sulfur Fuel Oil (LSFO) or Low Sulfur Heavy Stock (LSHS). The Basin Bridge Diesel Generator Power Plant (DGPP) in Tamil Nadu was one such example. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
The oxides of sulphur (SOx; SO2 + SO3) emissions are a direct result of the sulphur content of the fuel oil. During the combustion process this fuel-bound sulphur is rapidly oxidised to sulphur dioxide (SO2). A small fraction of the SO2, some 3-5% may be further oxidised to sulphur trioxide (SO3)  within the combustion chamber and exhaust duct. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

18. What is blue carbon? [2021-1]

Correct Answer: (a) Carbon captured by oceans and coastal ecosystems
Solution:

• Blue Carbon refers to organic carbon captured and stored by the ocean in vegetated coastal ecosystems such as mangrove forests, saltmarshes, or seagrass meadows.
• “Blue” refers to the watery nature of this storage.
• The vast majority of blue carbon is carbon dioxide that has dissolved directly into the ocean.
• Much smaller amounts are stored in underwater sediments, coastal vegetation, and soils; carbon-containing molecules, such as DNA and proteins; and ocean life from whales to phytoplankton.
• These ecosystems store massive amounts of carbon, making them an integral part of global efforts to combat climate change.
• They cover just 2% of the total ocean surface but account for 50% of the ocean’s carbon absorption.

19. Water can dissolve more substances than any other liquid because. [2021-1]

Correct Answer: (a) It is dipolar in nature.
Solution:NCERT Class11 Chemistry: The polar nature of water makes it a very good solvent for ionic and partially ionic compounds.

Water molecules have a polar arrangement of the oxygen and hydrogen atoms one side (hydrogen) has a positive electrical charge and the other side (oxygen) had a negative charge. This allows the water molecule to become attracted to many other different types of molecules. Therefore, Correct Answer is "A".

20. "Climate Action Tracker" which monitors the emission reduction pledges of different countries is a: [2022-1]

Correct Answer: (a) Database created by coalition of research organisations.
Solution:

The Climate Action Tracker is an independent scientific analysis that tracks government climate action and measures it against the globally agreed Paris Agreement aim of "holding warming well below 2°C, and pursuing efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C." A collaboration among organisations, Climate Analytics and New Climate Institute, the CAT has been providing this independent analysis to policymakers since 2009.
• The CAT encompasses all major emitters and a representative selection of smaller emitters, accounting for approximately 85% of global emissions and 70% of the world's population.
• The CAT assesses the impact of national climate actions on emissions pledges, targets, and NDCs (nationally determined contributions), evaluating their effectiveness in reducing emissions by 2030 and beyond.
• Crucially, the CAT analyses the fairness of each country's efforts in relation to their fair share of global emissions reduction, comparing their domestic mitigation strategies to global pathways for least-cost emissions reductions.