MCQs - 2026-08

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board is primarily concerned with the regulation of the oil and gas sector, and is not a direct partner in climate resilience strategies for ecosystems like the Himalayas, which involve environmental monitoring, disaster management, and policy formulation.

Glacial melt and altered precipitation patterns threaten water availability for downstream populations and agriculture, while increased instability in the region heightens the risk of landslides and floods.

The new climate resilience strategy for the Himalayan ecosystem emphasizes developing robust early warning systems for glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), landslides, and other climate-induced hazards to protect vulnerable communities and infrastructure.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is a multilateral treaty with the three main goals: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.

While the NBA is involved in biodiversity conservation, setting national policies for wildlife habitat management is primarily the domain of the Forest Department and the National Board for Wildlife.

The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023, amended the original Act of 2002 to streamline the process of access and benefit sharing (ABS) related to biological resources and associated traditional knowledge, aligning with the Nagoya Protocol.

The flight test of the HSTDV was successfully conducted from the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha in March 2024.

The HSTDV is designed to demonstrate the capabilities of a scramjet engine, which is crucial for developing hypersonic cruise missiles.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted a flight test of the Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV) in March 2024, demonstrating its advanced capabilities.