UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

The NCQG negotiated at COP29 seeks to move beyond the earlier USD 100 billion target by setting a higher, time-bound ambition. It aims to scale climate finance to roughly USD 300 billion a year for developing countries by 2035, reflecting rising needs for mitigation and adaptation. Developed countries are expected to lead, consistent with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. The goal is also meant to be revisited over time as science and needs evolve. (Drishti IAS)

Option A:
This option correctly conveys both the approximate magnitude (tripling) and the timeframe (by around 2035) of the NCQG, as well as its focus on developing countries and leadership role for developed nations. It aligns with reported summaries of COP29 outcomes on finance and thus is the best current-affairs-based answer.

Option B:
Completely ending public climate finance was not an option under serious discussion. Public finance remains crucial for adaptation and for leveraging private investment, especially in vulnerable countries. This statement contradicts the equity-oriented spirit of the NCQG negotiations.

Option C:
Restricting climate finance only to mitigation projects in developed countries runs against the idea that finance should flow to developing countries and cover both mitigation and adaptation. It therefore misstates the direction and scope of the agreed goal.

Option D:
Freezing finance permanently at USD 100 billion would ignore the growth in needs documented by various assessments and contradict calls for higher support. COP29’s objective was to go beyond, not lock in, the earlier 100-billion pledge.

Resource limits refer to the finite nature of land,water,energy and other ecological assets that support human life. The stem talks about a limit to the number of people Earth can support based on these resources. This is essentially an illustration of resource limits and planetary constraints. Therefore “limits” fits the blank correctly.

Option A:
Abundance suggests resources are more than sufficient,which contradicts the idea that Earth can support only a limited number of people.

Option B:
Limits emphasise that indefinite growth is not possible on a finite planet and directly matches the meaning in the stem.

Option C:
Entropy is a thermodynamics concept and is not the straightforward term used here for population–resource constraints.

Option D:
Privatisation is about ownership/management,not biophysical constraints on how many people can be supported.

The campaign aims to make durable cloth bags easily accessible and affordable so that people do not rely on disposable plastic bags. By installing vending machines at public places, it reduces convenience barriers and normalises carrying reusable bags. This supports state and national efforts to curb single-use plastics and fosters a culture of reuse and waste prevention.

Option A:
This option correctly reflects the core objective of the initiative, which is to change everyday consumer behaviour away from plastic carry bags.

Option B:
This option is incorrect; the programme is explicitly against unnecessary plastic purchases.

Option C:
The campaign does not oppose waste segregation; reducing single-use plastics complements better waste management.

Option D:
While tourists may also use the bags, the initiative is primarily about habitual local shopping behaviour, not souvenirs.

The ecological footprint aggregates how much biologically productive area is needed to provide the resources a population consumes and to assimilate its wastes, especially CO₂. It is usually expressed in global hectares and compared with available biocapacity. When the footprint exceeds biocapacity, it indicates ecological overshoot. Thus, the concept focuses on human demand for nature’s services translated into area terms.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect since a country’s physical area does not by itself show how intensively resources are used or how much is imported from elsewhere.

Option B:
Option B is correct because it explicitly links consumption and waste to the amount of productive land and water needed, which is the core idea behind the footprint indicator.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because total population size does not automatically indicate environmental pressure; lifestyles and technologies matter.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect since species richness describes biodiversity, not human demand on ecosystems.

The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee was created to turn the UNEA resolution on plastic pollution into a concrete treaty text. It brings together representatives of UN member states to discuss options, draft provisions and resolve disagreements. Through successive INC sessions in different cities, negotiators work on issues such as production limits, chemicals, waste management and financial mechanisms. Thus, the INC is the central negotiating body rather than an implementing agency or tribunal. (UNEP - UN Environment Programme)

Option A:
This option is incorrect because recycling programmes are largely managed at national or local levels; the INC does not administer them. Its mandate is to negotiate treaty text, not to run operational projects within countries.

Option B:
The INC does not function as a funding agency that dispenses money directly to waste management projects. Finance will be an important part of the treaty, but such mechanisms are to be designed within the negotiations rather than administered by the INC itself.

Option C:
This option correctly describes the INC’s purpose as a negotiating forum charged with drafting the new plastics treaty. It reflects the intergovernmental nature of the process and the focus on legal text and obligations. Without such a body, the UNEA resolution could not be translated into a concrete, binding instrument.

Option D:
The INC is not a court or enforcement body that directly punishes companies. Any compliance or enforcement provisions would be part of the treaty architecture and would typically involve states, not direct corporate adjudication by the committee.

Statements A, C, D, E and F are correct because they reflect multi-directional links among poverty, population dynamics and environmental change, including pressure on commons, overuse for survival, role of human development, poverty traps and integrated policy responses. Statement B is false since the impact of population growth depends on consumption levels, technology and governance; it is not automatically degrading in all cases. Thus, the option that includes all true statements and excludes B is correct.

Option A:
Option A is correct as it captures both the pressures that can arise from poverty and population and the ways in which improved human development and integrated policies can moderate these pressures. It rejects simplistic views that treat population growth as the sole determinant of environmental degradation.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it includes B, which overgeneralises the relationship between population and environment and ignores the role of mediating factors such as institutions, technology and behaviour.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect since it omits F and therefore ignores the importance of policies that jointly tackle poverty and environmental sustainability, which are central to this unit.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect as it leaves out A, so it fails to mention high-density pressure on common property resources, one of the classic examples in the poverty–environment discussion.

Statement D is the only wrong statement because ozone layer depletion clearly affects human health and ecosystems through increased UV exposure. Statements A, B and C correctly describe the role of CFCs and halons, protective function of the ozone layer and the purpose of the Montreal Protocol. Increased UV-B can cause skin cancer, cataracts and harm to phytoplankton and terrestrial plants. Therefore, the combination that identifies D alone as wrong is the correct answer.

Option A:
Option A is correct because it isolates statement D as the single wrong statement while recognising that A, B and C are scientifically well established. It reflects the consensus that ozone depletion has serious consequences for health and ecosystems. This option therefore matches the requirement to select the wrong statement or statements.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it treats both A and D as wrong. Statement A is correct since CFCs and halons are classic ozone-depleting substances identified in atmospheric chemistry studies. Misclassifying A as wrong shows a misunderstanding of the basic cause of ozone depletion.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect as it considers B and D to be wrong together. Statement B is in fact correct because the ozone layer’s filtering of UV radiation is a fundamental part of atmospheric science. Including B among wrong statements makes this combination unacceptable.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it treats C and D as wrong. Statement C accurately summarises the main purpose of the Montreal Protocol, which is a key treaty in global environmental governance. Since only D is wrong, combining it with C produces an incorrect option.

Non-point sources are diffuse and hard to trace to a single discharge point. Agricultural runoff occurs when rain washes fertilisers, pesticides and soil from many fields into streams and rivers. The pollution comes from a wide area, not one identifiable pipe. Therefore, diffuse farm runoff is a classic example of non-point source water pollution.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because a factory discharge pipe has a clearly identified location. Such a pipe is a point source that can be monitored and regulated directly.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect; leakage from a specific underground tank has a discrete location and is therefore treated as a point source, even though detecting the leak may be challenging.

Option C:
Option C is correct as it describes pollution entering water bodies over large surfaces. Managing it requires land-use practices and watershed approaches rather than simple end-of-pipe treatment.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because a sewage outlet from a treatment plant is another example of a point source. Its flow can be sampled and controlled at one point.

The Green Credit Programme is intended to encourage positive environmental actions by various actors through a system of credits. Stakeholders who undertake approved activities, like plantation on identified degraded lands, receive green credits that can later be traded on a designated platform. The rules were notified under the Environment (Protection) Act in October 2023, and subsequent guidance has stressed voluntary participation and market incentives. This design aims to link ecological restoration with economic signals rather than relying only on command-and-control regulation. (moefcc-gcp.in)

Option A:
This option is incorrect because the programme is not limited to penalties; instead, it revolves around positive incentives in the form of tradable credits. While regulation remains important in environmental law, GCP specifically experiments with a market-based approach.

Option B:
Restricting participation to multinational corporations would undermine the programme’s emphasis on diverse stakeholders, including individuals, communities and domestic firms. Official documents explicitly mention a wide range of eligible actors.

Option C:
This option captures the core elements of the GCP: voluntary environmental actions, issuance of credits and tradability. It also highlights tree plantation on degraded land, which is one of the key activities envisaged. Because it aligns with official descriptions of the scheme’s intent and design, it is the correct answer.

Option D:
Financing only thermal power plants is not the focus of GCP; while decarbonisation of power is important, the programme is broader and not confined to a single sector. This statement therefore mischaracterises its scope.

Statements A, B and D are correct because they present both benefits and concerns related to large dams along with the need for due process. A notes potential advantages like irrigation and flood control, B recognises social and environmental costs such as displacement and submergence and D stresses the role of EIA and public hearings. Statement C is incorrect as dams alter river flows, sediment transport and aquatic habitats, affecting ecosystems and fisheries. Hence the correct combination is A, B and D only.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because, although A and B are correct, it ignores D. Without acknowledging EIA and public hearings, the option fails to present the governance dimension of dam decisions, making it incomplete.

Option B:
Option B is correct as it combines all the true statements about the multifaceted impacts of large dams. It acknowledges benefits, costs and procedural safeguards while properly excluding C, which wrongly claims an absence of ecological impacts. This balanced view aligns with the unit’s treatment of the topic.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it includes B, C and D and accepts C as correct. Statement C denies ecological impacts that are widely documented in environmental studies, so its inclusion invalidates the combination despite the presence of B and D.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect as it groups A, C and D and leaves out B. It again accepts C, the incorrect statement, and neglects the important issue of displacement and land submergence discussed in B. Therefore, it cannot be chosen.

Adaptation consists of adjustments that reduce damage or increase resilience to the impacts of climate change. Building infrastructure designed to withstand coastal flooding and storm surges, together with effective early warning systems, helps communities live with sea-level rise and more intense storms.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because switching from coal to solar primarily reduces emissions and is therefore a mitigation measure.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect; better fuel efficiency lowers greenhouse gas emissions from transport and is also mitigation.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect since a carbon tax is a policy instrument intended to reduce fossil fuel use and emissions, again falling under mitigation.

Option D:
Option D is correct as it focuses on coping with and reducing vulnerability to climate impacts, which is the essence of adaptation.

The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesises an inverted U-shaped relationship between certain pollutants and per capita income. At low income levels,environmental degradation rises with growth but beyond a turning point it begins to fall. The stem describes exactly this pattern,worsening then improving with income,which defines the Kuznets curve. Therefore Option A is correct.

Option A:
Kuznets originally proposed a similar inverted U for income inequality,which inspired the application to environmental issues. The environmental version retains his name,matching the term requested in the question.

Option B:
The Laffer curve relates tax rates to tax revenue and does not directly address environment-income relationships. So Option B is not relevant here.

Option C:
The Gini coefficient is an inequality measure,not a curve describing environment versus income. It plays a different role in development analysis,so Option C is incorrect.

Option D:
The Engel curve describes how household expenditure on a good varies with income. It is unrelated to the environmental degradation pattern mentioned in the stem,so Option D does not fit.

Statements A, B and D are correct because environmental conditions shape key health indicators, risks are unequally distributed and monitoring helps target preventive actions. Statement C is incorrect since environmental health is closely intertwined with socio-economic status, access to services and living conditions. The correct combination therefore includes A, B and D only.

Option A:
Option A is incomplete because it omits D, which stresses the importance of monitoring health indicators for preventive interventions. Without D, the operational aspect of using indicators is missing.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect since it accepts C as correct along with A and B. Treating environmental health indicators as independent of socio-economic conditions contradicts evidence from public health studies.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect as it includes A and D but leaves out B, which highlights the disproportionate burden on low-income communities. The pattern of environmental health inequities is thus not fully represented.

Option D:
Option D is correct because it brings together all three true statements and excludes the false one. It reflects an integrated understanding of environment, equity and health monitoring.

Statements A, B, C, D and F are correct and together highlight ecological buffers, planning tools, early warning and long-term sea-level threats. Statement E is wrong because many coastal communities possess traditional knowledge relevant to preparedness. The correct set therefore includes A, B, C, D and F while excluding E.

Option A:
Option A is correct because it includes all true statements and excludes E, which wrongly denies the existence of relevant traditional knowledge.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it omits F, missing sea-level rise as a key long-term coastal risk.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect since it includes E (false).

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it omits B, underplaying vulnerability created by unplanned construction and vegetation removal.

The SIGHT (Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition) scheme is a core part of the mission. It offers incentives for setting up domestic electrolyser manufacturing capacity and for producing green hydrogen and its derivatives. These incentives aim to lower costs and support decarbonisation of sectors such as fertilisers, refining and steel, where direct electrification is challenging. By boosting local industry, the scheme also creates jobs and reduces technology dependence.

Option A:
This option is incorrect because grey hydrogen from natural gas without capture is emissions-intensive and not the target of green-hydrogen policies.

Option B:
This option correctly identifies domestic electrolysers and green hydrogen/ammonia production as the objects of SIGHT incentives and links them to industrial decarbonisation.

Option C:
Subsidising coal mines would contradict the mission’s purpose of promoting low-carbon fuels, so this option is not valid.

Option D:
Diesel-based captive plants increase emissions and are not supported by the green-hydrogen mission.