Q141. While both generate electricity from sunlight, how does Solar Photovoltaic (PV) technology fundamentally differ from Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)?
Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainable Development: RAS Prelims MCQs
179 RAS Prelims MCQs on biodiversity, conservation of natural resources and sustainable development cover the levels of biodiversity, hotspots, conservation bodies, wildlife law and climate instruments. Alpha diversity, Norman Myers, the IUCN Red List, the Wildlife Amendment Act 2022, the CBD protocols and carbon market ideas like cap and trade and additionality are asked as facts and statements.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 141–150 of 179 questions
Q142. Read the following statements and select the correct option:
Statement I: The transition to renewable energy is essential for achieving the climate targets set under the Paris Agreement.
Statement II: Renewable energy sources currently provide 100% of India’s total energy consumption.
Statement I: The transition to renewable energy is essential for achieving the climate targets set under the Paris Agreement.
Statement II: Renewable energy sources currently provide 100% of India’s total energy consumption.
Explanation
Transitioning to renewable energy is a critical requirement for meeting the global climate targets established under the Paris Agreement. While India is rapidly expanding its renewable capacity, these sources do not yet provide one hundred percent of the country’s total energy consumption. Fossil fuels still play a major role in the energy mix, making the second statement an incorrect exaggeration of current reality.
Q143. Identify the correct pair regarding renewable energy installations in India.
Explanation
India is home to several of the world’s largest renewable energy projects. Bhadla Solar Park, located in Rajasthan, is currently the largest solar park in the world. In contrast, the Kamuthi Solar Project is in Tamil Nadu, and the Muppandal Wind Farm is also in Tamil Nadu. Charanka Solar Park is situated in Gujarat, not Tamil Nadu, making the Rajasthan pair correct.
Q144. Rajasthan possesses immense potential for solar energy generation primarily because:
Explanation
Rajasthan has the highest potential for solar energy in India due to its unique geographic and climatic advantages. The state receives intense solar radiation and enjoys a high number of clear, sunny days throughout the year. Additionally, the availability of vast stretches of uncultivated wasteland in the desert regions provides the necessary space for the installation of large-scale solar power plants.
Q145. All of the following are considered renewable energy sources, EXCEPT:
Explanation
Geothermal, tidal, and small hydropower are all considered renewable energy sources because they rely on natural processes that are replenished on a human timescale. Natural gas, however, is a fossil fuel formed over millions of years from decaying organic matter. Like coal and oil, it is a finite resource that is depleted by use and contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.
Q146. How does the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) define a "Green Economy"?
Explanation
The United Nations Environment Programme defines a green economy as one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. In a green economy, growth in income and employment is driven by public and private investments that reduce carbon emissions and pollution, enhance energy efficiency, and prevent the loss of biodiversity.
Q147. The concept of "Green GDP" involves adjusting the traditional Gross Domestic Product by:
Explanation
Green GDP is an economic indicator that seeks to measure growth while accounting for environmental consequences. It adjusts the traditional Gross Domestic Product by subtracting the estimated monetary costs of environmental degradation and the depletion of natural resources. This provides a more accurate picture of a nation’s true economic health by considering whether growth is occurring at the expense of natural capital.
Q148. Identify the correct statement regarding a "Circular Economy."
Explanation
A circular economy is an alternative to the traditional linear ‘take-make-dispose’ model. It focuses on designing products and systems to minimize waste and pollution by keeping materials and products in use for as long as possible. Through recycling, repairing, and regeneration, this model aims to decouple economic activity from the consumption of finite resources, promoting long-term sustainability and environmental health.
Q149. Identify the incorrect statement regarding the transition to a Green Economy.
Explanation
Transitioning to a green economy involves shifting to renewable energy, decoupling growth from resource use, and creating new "green jobs" in sustainable sectors. It does not mean stopping industrial manufacturing or technology. Instead, it promotes the transformation of these sectors through innovation and efficiency to ensure that economic development occurs within planetary boundaries and does not cause further environmental destruction.
Q150. The concept of "decoupling" in the context of a green economy means:
Explanation
In the context of a green economy, decoupling refers to the ability of an economy to grow without a proportional increase in environmental pressure. This means that as economic output rises, the consumption of natural resources and the generation of pollution either stay constant or decrease. Achieving this balance is essential for ensuring that economic development is sustainable and does not lead collapse.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 141 | (d) PV uses semiconductors for electricity, while CSP uses mirrors and heat. |
| 142 | (a) Statement I is correct, and Statement II is incorrect. |
| 143 | (c) Bhadla Solar Park - Rajasthan |
| 144 | (d) High solar radiation, clear sunny days, and vast wasteland availability. |
| 145 | (b) Natural gas |
| 146 | (b) An economy improving well-being and equity while reducing ecological risks. |
| 147 | (a) Subtracting costs of environmental degradation and resource depletion. |
| 148 | (c) Designing to minimize waste through continuous use, recycling, and regeneration. |
| 149 | (d) It implies a complete halt to all industrial manufacturing and technological advancement. |
| 150 | (c) Achieving growth without increasing environmental pressure and resource use. |
Key facts from Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainable Development
- Genetic diversity is the variation of genes and alleles within a species; alpha diversity is the diversity of species within a habitat.
- Norman Myers proposed the concept of biodiversity hotspots; the Nicobar Islands are part of the Sundaland hotspot.
- The IUCN maintains the Red List of Threatened Species; the Amazon rainforest is called the lungs of the planet.
- The Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act 2022 removed the vermin schedule; the Centre can declare vermin by notification.
- The Cartagena Protocol, Nagoya Protocol and Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework belong to the CBD; the Kyoto Protocol does not.
- Cap and trade sets an emission limit and allows trade of surplus allowances; one carbon credit equals one tonne of CO₂; additionality means reductions must be real.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainable Development?
This page has 179 practice MCQs on Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainable Development (Health, Environment and Agriculture). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Who proposed the concept of biodiversity hotspots?
The ecologist Norman Myers. A hotspot is a region with a very high number of endemic species that has lost most of its original habitat, such as the Western Ghats and Sundaland.
What is cap and trade?
A mechanism that sets a limit (cap) on total emissions and issues allowances to firms. Firms that emit less than their allowance can sell the surplus to others, which gives a market price to carbon.
What does additionality mean in carbon offsets?
That the emission reductions must be real and would not have happened without the revenue from carbon credits. A project that would have gone ahead anyway does not earn credits.