UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

A carbon footprint quantifies the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with an activity or entity. It expresses different greenhouse gases in a common unit of carbon dioxide equivalent. This helps compare and manage contributions to climate change. Therefore the description in the question clearly corresponds to a carbon footprint.

Option A:
Carbon footprint is specifically used to track how much climate forcing gases are emitted. It can be calculated for individuals,organisations,products or even countries. Because the definition in the stem mentions greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide equivalent,this term fits exactly.

Option B:
An ecological niche refers to the functional role and position a species occupies in an ecosystem. It has nothing to do with measuring greenhouse gas emissions. Hence it does not match the meaning described in the question.

Option C:
Energy budget generally denotes the balance between energy input and output in a system,such as a city or organism. While related to resource use,it is not a standard measure of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore it is not the best answer here.

Option D:
Water footprint measures the amount of freshwater used to produce goods and services consumed by an individual or community. It focuses on water use,not greenhouse gas emissions. Thus it does not correspond to the definition given in the stem.

Mission LiFE identifies and celebrates “Pro Planet People” as those who consciously choose environment-friendly behaviours. These include actions such as saving energy and water, reducing single-use plastics and choosing sustainable mobility. By highlighting such individuals and communities, the initiative aims to create social norms that favour low-impact lifestyles and make sustainable choices aspirational. This people-centric framing links environmental protection directly to everyday development and well-being. (missionlife-moefcc.nic.in)

Option A:
This option is incorrect because the LiFE framework does not restrict the idea of Pro Planet People to government officials. While officials can also adopt sustainable lifestyles, the concept explicitly extends to all citizens, communities and organisations that practise environment-conscious behaviour. Limiting it to a narrow group would reduce the transformative potential of the movement.

Option B:
This option correctly reflects the LiFE idea that anyone, individually or collectively, can become a Pro Planet Person by adopting environment-friendly habits. It stresses that lifestyle choices—such as reducing waste, conserving resources and supporting sustainable products—are central to climate and environmental solutions. The term therefore recognises active practitioners of sustainable lifestyles, not just passive beneficiaries of policies.

Option C:
This option is wrong because it treats everyone as Pro Planet People irrespective of behaviour. LiFE, however, is about nudging and recognising specific sustainable practices, so the term carries a behavioural meaning. Calling all citizens Pro Planet People would dilute the incentive to actually change habits.

Option D:
Companies investing in renewables can contribute significantly to decarbonisation, but the LiFE concept of Pro Planet People is not limited to corporate investors. It focuses on lifestyle and consumption choices, not just on capital expenditure decisions. Therefore, restricting the term to such companies would be misleading.

The term “Pro Planet People” is used in Mission LiFE documents to recognise those who actively practice sustainable lifestyles. It includes choices such as saving energy and water, reducing single-use plastics and preferring public transport or non-motorised mobility. By celebrating such people, the initiative aims to create social norms that favour low-impact living and make green behaviour aspirational. (missionlife-moefcc.nic.in)

Option A:
This option is incorrect because LiFE explicitly extends the idea of Pro Planet People beyond government officials to all sections of society. Restricting it to officials would undermine the mass-movement character of the initiative.

Option B:
This option correctly reflects that any individual or community can become Pro Planet People through deliberate environment-friendly habits. It highlights the behavioural basis of the concept rather than institutional position or wealth.

Option C:
Companies investing in renewables contribute to mitigation, but the phrase is not limited to corporate investors; it is meant for lifestyle choices across society.

Option D:
Calling all citizens Pro Planet People irrespective of their actions removes the behavioural meaning of the term and weakens the incentive to change habits.

Environmental ethics is a branch of applied ethics that focuses on how humans ought to relate morally to the environment and non-human beings. It questions whether nature has intrinsic value beyond its utility to humans. It also debates anthropocentric, biocentric and ecocentric viewpoints regarding environmental decision-making. Therefore, its central concern is the moral relationship between human beings and the natural world, which is captured in option C.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because assessing economic value belongs more to environmental economics than environmental ethics. While ethics may question how we value nature, the central focus is not economic valuation but moral responsibility.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect as legal analysis belongs to environmental law. Ethics can influence law, but the study of statutes and regulations is not itself the main focus of environmental ethics.

Option C:
Option C is correct since it directly refers to the moral relationship between humans and nature. This includes questions about duties to animals, ecosystems and future generations, which lie at the heart of environmental ethics.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because developing technologies for resource extraction is a technical and engineering activity. Environmental ethics may evaluate whether such technologies should be used, but it does not focus on their development.