Miscellaneous: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Environment and Ecology)
12 previous year UPSC Prelims questions here cover environment topics outside the main chapters, from 2008 to 2025. They include the circular economy, the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility and BioCarbon Fund, the R2 Code of electronics recycling, Himalayan nettle fibre and the World Summit on Sustainable Development. The explanations name the body behind each.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
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UPSC 2010Environment and Ecology · Miscellaneous
Q11. Due to their extensive rice cultivation, some regions may be contributing to global warming. To what possible reason/ reasons is this attributable? 1. The anaerobic conditions associated with rice cultivation cause the emission of methane. 2. When nitrogen based fertilizers are used, nitrous oxide is emitted from the cultivated soil. Which of the statements given above is / are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is released during rice cultivation as flooded paddies create anaerobic conditions, promoting methane-producing micro-organisms. This makes rice farming a major source of methane emissions.
Statement 2 is correct. Nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas, is emitted when nitrogen fertilizers in soil undergo denitrification, converting unused nitrate into nitrous oxide. This gas escapes into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. v v v
UPSC 2008Environment and Ecology · Miscellaneous
Q12. Where was the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Rio + 10) held?
Explanation
The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), also known as Rio+10, was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2002. This summit marked the 10th anniversary of the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, in 1992. The WSSD focused on sustainable development issues, including poverty alleviation, environmental conservation, and the promotion of sustainable practices worldwide. In 1992, the Earth Summit (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development) was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It resulted in key outcomes such as the Rio Declaration, Agenda 21, and the establishment of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
11
2010
(c) Both 1 and 2
12
2008
(c) Johannesburg
What UPSC has tested in Miscellaneous
The World Summit on Sustainable Development (Rio+10) was held at Johannesburg.
The BioCarbon Fund Initiative for Sustainable Forest Landscapes is managed by the World Bank.
The R2 Code of Practices promotes environmentally responsible recycling of electronic equipment.
Himalayan nettle is used as a textile fibre.
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Miscellaneous?
This page covers 12 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Miscellaneous (Environment and Ecology), asked from 2008 to 2025. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
Where was the World Summit on Sustainable Development held?
At Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2002. It is also called Rio+10 because it took place ten years after the Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and it reviewed progress on sustainable development.
Who manages the BioCarbon Fund Initiative for Sustainable Forest Landscapes?
The World Bank. The fund pays for reduced greenhouse gas emissions from land use, including from deforestation and from climate-smart agriculture, and it works alongside the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility.
