Environment & Ecology MCQs

One of India's updated NDC targets is to achieve about 50 percent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030.

India's updated NDCs, submitted in August 2022, commit to reducing the emissions intensity of its GDP by 45 percent by 2030 from 2005 levels.

Mixed-use development can indirectly help by reducing the need for extensive transportation networks, which often involve large amounts of heat-absorbing pavement. More importantly, it can be integrated with green infrastructure and pedestrian-friendly designs that reduce heat.

Cool pavements are designed with materials that have high solar reflectance (reflecting sunlight) and thermal emittance (releasing absorbed heat), thereby reducing the surface temperature and the overall urban heat island effect.

Expanding green infrastructure, such as parks, green roofs, and vertical gardens, is a cornerstone of urban heat island mitigation. These elements provide shade and cooling through evapotranspiration, counteracting the heat absorbed by urban surfaces.

Modern biodiversity action plans, including the NBAP 2026 Update, increasingly recognize the vital role of local communities and indigenous peoples. Empowering them in conservation and ensuring equitable benefit-sharing is a key strategy.

The NBAP 2026 Update is expected to strengthen the implementation of international agreements like the Nagoya Protocol, which deals with access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilization. The other options are contrary to biodiversity conservation goals.

The NBAP 2026 Update emphasizes integrating biodiversity conservation into all relevant national policies and sectoral plans to ensure sustainable development. Prioritizing invasive species, reducing funding, and promoting commercial exploitation of endangered species are contrary to biodiversity goals.

ICIMOD (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development) is a prominent intergovernmental organization dedicated to sustainable mountain development in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region, regularly publishing authoritative reports on glacier melt and its impacts.

While initial melt might increase water flow, accelerated melting leads to long-term water scarcity as glaciers shrink. It also increases GLOF risks and alters river flow. Enhanced agricultural productivity is not a direct or sustainable consequence; rather, water scarcity would negatively impact it.