Climate Change MCQs for UPSC Prelims

121 practice questions on Climate Change from the Environment & Ecology section of the UPSC Prelims syllabus. 121 come with a written explanation and 41 are actual previous year questions. Try the sample set below - the answer stays hidden until you ask for it.

18 Easy 65 Medium 38 Hard 41 from past papers

Sample questions

Q1
Previous year question medium

Consider the following statements : I. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in India are less than 0.5 t CO2/capita. II. In terms of CO2 emissions from fuel combustion, India ranks second in Asia-Pacific region. III. Electricity and heat producers are the largest sources of CO2 emissions in India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A I and III only
  2. B II only
  3. C II and III only
  4. D I, II and III
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - II and III only

India's per capita carbon dioxide emissions are around 1.8 to 2 tonnes, far above 0.5 tonne, so statement I is wrong. India ranks second in the Asia-Pacific region after China in emissions from fuel combustion, validating statement II, and electricity and heat generation, dominated by coal, is the single largest source of its emissions, validating statement III. Hence only II and III are correct.

Q2
Previous year question hard

One of the following regions has the world's largest tropical peatland, which holds about three years' worth of global carbon emissions from fossil fuels, and the possible destruction of which can exert a detrimental effect on the global climate. Which one of the following denotes that region?

  1. A Amazon Basin
  2. B Congo Basin
  3. C Kikori Basin
  4. D Rio de la Plata Basin
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B - Congo Basin

The central Congo Basin contains the Cuvette Centrale peatlands, the world's largest tropical peatland complex, storing carbon equivalent to about three years of global fossil-fuel emissions, so option (b) is correct. The Amazon Basin has extensive rainforest but its peat stores are smaller than the Congo's. The Kikori Basin in Papua New Guinea and the Rio de la Plata Basin in South America do not host peatlands of comparable scale. Hence the Congo Basin is the region described.

Q3
Previous year question medium

Consider the following pairs: Terms sometimes seen in the news : Their origin 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?

  1. A 1 and 2 only
  2. B 2 and 3 only
  3. C 3 only
  4. D 1, 2 and 3
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - 3 only

The Clean Development Mechanism originates from the Kyoto Protocol, so pair 3 is correctly matched. Annex-I countries are a classification under the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol, not the Cartagena Protocol (which deals with biosafety), so pair 1 is wrong. Certified Emission Reductions are credits generated under the Kyoto Protocol's CDM, not the Nagoya Protocol (which concerns access and benefit-sharing of genetic resources), so pair 2 is wrong. Hence only '3 only' is correct.

Q4
Previous year question medium

Consider the following statements : 1. Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) to Reduce Short Lived Climate Pollutants is a unique initiative of G20 group of countries. 2. The CCAC focuses on methane, black carbon and hydrofluorocarbons. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A 1 only
  2. B 2 only
  3. C Both 1 and 2
  4. D Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B - 2 only

Statement 1 is wrong: the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants is a voluntary, UNEP-hosted partnership of governments, organisations and the private sector, not an initiative of the G20. Statement 2 is correct: the CCAC focuses on short-lived climate pollutants such as methane, black carbon and hydrofluorocarbons. Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Q5
Previous year question hard

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 :

  1. A 1 and 2 only
  2. B 3 only
  3. C 2 and 3 only
  4. D 1, 2 and 3
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - 1 and 2 only

The Global Climate Change Alliance is an initiative of the European Union (statement 1 correct) that provides technical and financial support to vulnerable developing countries to integrate climate change into their development planning and budgets (statement 2 correct). Statement 3 is wrong: it is not coordinated by the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (those two bodies run the GHG Protocol). Hence only 1 and 2 are correct.

Q6
Previous year question hard

Consider the following statements : Statement I : Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on climate change is frequently discussed in global discussions on sustainable development and climate change. Statement II : Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on climate change sets out the principles of carbon markets. Statement III : Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on climate change intends to promote inter-country non-market strategies to reach their climate targets. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. A Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I
  2. B Both Statement II and Statement III are correct but only one of them explains Statement I
  3. C Only one of the Statements II and III is correct and that explains Statement I
  4. D Neither Statement II nor Statement III is correct
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I

Article 6 of the Paris Agreement covers both market-based cooperation, including carbon markets under its provisions 6.2 and 6.4, and non-market approaches under provision 6.8, so statements II and III are both correct. Because it deals with both carbon markets and non-market cooperation between countries, Article 6 is central to global climate discussions, which is why both statements explain statement I. Hence both II and III are correct and both explain statement I.

Q7
Previous year question medium

Among the following crops, which one is the most important anthropogenic source of both methane and nitrous oxide?

  1. A Cotton
  2. B Rice
  3. C Sugarcane
  4. D Wheat
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B - Rice

Flooded paddy fields create anaerobic conditions where methanogenic bacteria release large amounts of methane, while nitrogen fertilisers applied to rice generate nitrous oxide, making rice the leading crop source of both gases. Cotton, sugarcane and wheat are grown in largely aerobic, non-flooded soils and emit far less methane. Hence rice is the correct answer.

Q8
Previous year question hard

With reference to 'Direct Air Capture', an emerging technology, which of the following statements is/are correct? I. It can be used as a way of carbon sequestration. II. It can be a valuable approach for plastic production and in food processing. III. In aviation, it can be a source of carbon for combining with hydrogen to create synthetic low-carbon fuel. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A I and II only
  2. B III only
  3. C I, II and III
  4. D None of the above statements is correct
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - I, II and III

Direct Air Capture pulls carbon dioxide directly from the ambient air, which can be stored underground as a form of carbon sequestration, validating statement I. The captured carbon dioxide can be used as feedstock in plastics manufacture and in food processing, validating statement II, and it can be combined with hydrogen to produce synthetic low-carbon aviation fuels, validating statement III. Hence all three statements are correct.

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