International Environmental Treaties & Summits — UPSC Prelims Previous Year Questions
36 questions from UPSC CSE Prelims GS Paper 1 on International Environmental Treaties & Summits (Environment & Ecology). Spanning from 1998 to 2024. Practice with show/hide answers and detailed explanations.
What UPSC Asks About International Environmental Treaties & Summits
Based on 36 questions across 16 years, UPSC has consistently tested aspirants' understanding of International Environmental Treaties & Summits within the broader Environment & Ecology syllabus. The questions range from factual recall to application-based analysis.
Recent trends show UPSC moving towards statement-based questions that combine multiple aspects of International Environmental Treaties & Summits. Aspirants should focus on understanding concepts rather than memorizing isolated facts.
Q: Consider the following statements :
Statement-I :
The European Parliament approved The Net-Zero Industry Act recently.
Statement-II :
The European Union intends to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 and therefore aims to develop all of its own clean technology by that time.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements ?
(a)Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
(b)Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
(c)Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
(d)Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct
Q: Consider the following statements:
1. "The Climate Group" is an international non-profit organisation that drives climate action by building large networks and runs them.
2. The International Energy Agency in partnership with the Climate Group launched a global initiative "EP100".
3. EP100 brings together leading companies committed to driving innovation in energy efficiency and increasing competitiveness while delivering on emission reduction goals.
4. Some Indian companies are members of EP100.
5. The International Energy Agency is the Secretariat to the "Under2 Coalition".
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Q: Consider the following statements:
1. The Global Ocean Commission grants licences for seabed exploration and mining in international waters.
2. India has received licences for seabed mineral exploration in international waters.
3. ‘Rare earth minerals’ are present on seafloor in international waters.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Q: Consider the following statements:
1. Under Ramsar Convention, it is mandatory on the part of the Government of India to protect and conserve all the wetlands in the territory of India.
2. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 were framed by the Government of India based on the recommendations of Ramsar Convention.
3. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 also encompass the drainage area or catchment regions of the wetlands as determined by the authority.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), a UN mechanism to assist countries' transition towards greener and more inclusive economies, emerged at
(a)The Earth Summit on Sustainable Development 2002, Johannesburg
(b)The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development 2012, Rio de Janeiro
(c)The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 2015, Paris
(d)The World Sustainable Development Summit 2016, New Delhi
Q: With reference to Manipuri Sankirtana, consider the following statements:
1. It is a song and dance performance.
2. Cymbals are the only musical instruments used in the performance.
3. It is performed to narrate the life and deeds of Lord Krishna.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: 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:
Q: With reference to the role of UN-Habitat in the United Nations programme working towards a better urban future, which of the statements is/are correct?
1. UN-Habitat has been mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities to provide adequate shelter for all.
2. Its partners are either governments or local urban authorities only.
3. UN-Habitat contributes to the overall objective of the United Nations system to reduce poverty and to promote access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Q: What is/are the importance/importances of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification?
1. It aims to promote effective action through innovative national programmes and supportive international partnerships.
2. It has a special/particular focus on South Asia and North Africa regions, and its Secretariat facilitates the allocation of major portion of financial resources to these regions.
3. It is committed to bottom-up approach, encouraging the participation of local people in combating the desertification.
Select the correct answer
using the code given below.
Q: Which of the following statements is/are correct? Proper design and effective implementation of UN-REDD+ Programme can significantly contribute to
1. Protection of biodiversity
2. Resilience of forest ecosystems
3. Poverty reduction
Select the correct answer
using the code given below.
Q: With reference to 'Agenda 21', sometimes seen in the news, consider the following statements:
1. It is a global action plan for sustainable development.
2. It originated in the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in 2002.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: Consider the following statements:
1. The International Solar Alliance was launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2015.
2. The Alliance includes all the member countries of the United Nations.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: With reference to the Agreement at the UNFCCC Meeting in Paris in 2015, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. The Agreement was signed by all the member countries of the UN and it will go into effect in 2017.
2. The Agreement aims to limit the greenhouse gas emissions so that the rise in average global temperature by the end of this century does not exceed 2°C or even 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
3. Developed countries acknowledged their historical responsibility in global warming and committed to donate $1000 billion a year from 2020 to help developing countries to cope with climate change.
Select the correct answer
using the code given below.
Q: Consider the following statements:
1. The Sustainable Development Goals were first proposed in 1972 by a global think tank called the 'Club of Rome'.
2. The Sustainable Development Goals have to be achieved by 2030.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: With reference to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. IUCN is an organ of the United Nations and CITES is an international agreement between governments.
2. IUCN runs thousands of field projects around the world to better manage natural environments.
3. CITES is legally binding on the States that have joined it, but this Convention does not take the place of national laws.
Select the correct answer
using the code given below.
Q: Which of the following statements regarding ‘Green Climate Fund’ is/are correct?
1. It is intended to assist the developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change.
2. It is founded under the aegis of UNEP, OECD, Asian Development Bank and World Bank.
Select the correct answer
using the code given below.
Q: With reference to ‘Forest Carbon Partnership Facility’, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. It is a global partnership of governments, businesses, civil society and indigenous peoples.
2. It provides financial aid to universities, individual scientists and institutions involved in scientific forestry research to develop eco-friendly and climate adaptation technologies for sustainable forest management.
3. It assists the countries in their ‘REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation+)’ efforts by providing them with financial and technical assistance.
Select the correct answer
using the code given below.
Q: With reference to an organization known as ‘BirdLife International’, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. It is a Global Partnership of Conservation Organizations.
2. The concept of ‘biodiversity hotspots’ originated from this organization.
3. It identifies the sites known/referred to as ‘Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas’.
Select the correct answer
using the code given below.
Q: If a wetland of international importance is brought under the 'Montreux Record', what does it imply?
(a)Changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring or are likely to occur in the wetland as a result of human interference
(b)The country in which the wetland is located should enact a law to prohibit any human activity within five kilometres from the edge of the wetland
(c)The survival of the wetland depends on the cultural practices and traditions of certain communities living in its vicinity and therefore the cultural diversity therein should not be destroyed
(d)It is given the status of 'World Heritage Site'
Q: With reference to 'Global Environment Facility',
which of the following statements is/are correct?
(a)It serves as financial mechanism for 'Convention on Biological Diversity' and 'United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change'
(b)It undertakes scientific research on environmental issues at global level
(c)It is an agency under OECD to facilitate the transfer of technology and funds to underdeveloped countries with specific aim to protect their environment
Q: Consider the following international agreements:
1. The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
2. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
3. The World Heritage Convention
Which of the above has/have a bearing on the biodiversity?
Q: India is a party to the Ramsar Convention and has declared many areas as Ramsar Sites.
Which of the following statements best describes how we should maintain these sites in the context of this Convention?
(a)Keep all the sites completely inaccessible to man so that they will not be exploited.
(b)Conserve all the sites through ecosystem approach and permit tourism and recreation only.
(c)Conserve all the sites through ecosystem approach for a period without any exploitation, with specific criteria and specific period for each site, and then allow sustainable use of them by future generations.
(d)Conserve all the sites through ecosystem approach and allow their simultaneous sustainable use.
Q: Consider the following statements :
1. Kyoto Protocol came into force in the year 2005
2. Kyoto Protocol deals primarily with the depletion of the Ozone layer.
3. Methane as a greenhouse gas is more harmful than carbon dioxide
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: Match List I with List II
and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:
List I (Important Day)
I. World Environment Day
II. World Forestry Day
III. World Habitat Day
IV. World Ozone Day
List II (Date)
A) March 20
B) June 5
C) September 16
D) October 3
E) December 10
Q: According to Meadows (1972), if the present trends in world population, industrialisation, pollution, food production and resource depletion continue unchanged, the “Limits to Growth” on our planet will be reached in the next
How many UPSC Prelims questions have been asked from International Environmental Treaties & Summits?▼
UPSC has asked 36 questions on International Environmental Treaties & Summits in GS Paper 1 Prelims between 1998 and 2024. This sub-topic falls under Environment & Ecology.
In which years has UPSC asked about International Environmental Treaties & Summits?▼
Questions on International Environmental Treaties & Summits have appeared in UPSC Prelims in the following years: 2024, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2005, 2002, 2001, 1998. The topic has appeared in 16 out of 31 years.
What is the difficulty level of International Environmental Treaties & Summits questions in UPSC Prelims?▼
Among 36 questions on International Environmental Treaties & Summits: 16 are easy, 20 are moderate, and 0 are difficult. Most questions test conceptual understanding of the topic.
