UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

A gendered perspective in environmental studies emphasises that environmental policies and impacts are experienced differently by women and men due to socially constructed roles and power relations. It calls for analysing resource access, decision making and vulnerability through a gender lens. The stem describes exactly this differentiated approach,so gendered is the correct term.

Option A:
An ecocentric perspective places intrinsic value on ecosystems and non human nature, often downplaying human social distinctions. While important,it does not focus on differences between women and men as stated in the question.

Option B:
A gendered perspective helps reveal how women may bear disproportionate burdens of environmental degradation, such as walking longer distances for water or fuelwood. It also highlights their knowledge and contributions to resource management. This reasoning aligns closely with the stem.

Option C:
A technocratic approach emphasises technical expertise and engineering solutions, sometimes neglecting social and gender dimensions. It is not specifically concerned with unequal roles or vulnerabilities by gender.

Option D:
Neo classical refers to a school of economic thought that assumes rational individuals and competitive markets. Although it can be applied to environmental issues, it does not inherently address gendered differences.

The integrated view recognises that economic processes, social relations and ecological systems are deeply interdependent. It argues that genuine development must improve people’s lives and reduce inequalities without overshooting planetary boundaries. This perspective supports strategies that link poverty reduction, participation, gender equality and environmental stewardship as mutually reinforcing objectives rather than separate agendas.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because focusing only on GDP misses critical dimensions of development such as health, education, equity and environmental sustainability.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect since many examples show that well-designed policies can simultaneously advance human welfare and environmental protection, for instance through sustainable agriculture or renewable energy.

Option C:
Option C is correct as it encapsulates the idea of people-centred, ecologically sound development and explicitly mentions social justice and ecological limits, which are key themes in this unit.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because environmental issues inherently involve value choices, distributional conflicts and ethical questions, not just scientific facts.

Statements A, B and D are correct: the three Rs form the core of sustainable consumption, producer responsibility and eco-design reduce life-cycle impacts and policy tools like green procurement support sustainable choices. Statement C is incorrect because sustainable consumption also considers fairness, labour conditions and equity, not only environmental aspects. Hence, the combination A, B and D only is correct.

Option A:
Option A is correct since it selects all the true statements and excludes C, which narrows sustainable consumption excessively. It captures behavioural, producer-side and policy dimensions of the topic.

Option B:
Option B is incomplete because it omits D, which is a valid statement about the role of public policy in promoting sustainable consumption. Without D, the description misses an important lever for change.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect as it includes C with B and D. C wrongly claims that social equity is irrelevant, contradicting the broader definition of sustainable consumption that integrates social justice.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it treats all four statements as correct, thereby accepting C’s misleading formulation. Including a false statement invalidates the combination.

Environmental justice emphasises fair distribution of environmental benefits and burdens and meaningful participation of affected communities. Forced displacement without proper compensation or rehabilitation imposes heavy burdens on already vulnerable groups. The stem describes precisely such unfair treatment in the name of development,which is a violation of environmental justice. Hence Option B is correct.

Option A:
Efficiency concerns achieving outcomes with minimal cost or resource use and does not address fairness in burden sharing. A project could be economically efficient yet highly unjust,so Option A misses the central issue in the question.

Option B:
Justice focuses on equity,rights and fair procedures. In environmental contexts it demands that no group be disproportionately harmed by projects and that communities have a voice in decisions. This fits the dam displacement scenario.

Option C:
Neutrality suggests taking no side,but environmental conflicts require explicit consideration of power imbalances and rights. Neutrality does not capture the fairness concerns raised in the stem,so Option C is not suitable.

Option D:
Marketing relates to promoting products or ideas. It is not a principle governing fair treatment of displaced communities and thus cannot complete the statement correctly.

Statements A, B, D and E are correct because they capture the core definition and policy tools of a green economy. It links well-being and equity with reduced environmental risks, uses investments in low-carbon and efficient sectors, employs fiscal reforms and supports SMEs and innovation. Statement C is false because employment and decent work are central to just transition debates, and F is false because green economy strategies are explicitly related to SDGs on energy, industry, consumption and more. Thus, the correct combination is A, B, D and E only.

Option A:
Option A is incomplete as it leaves out D and E, thereby ignoring crucial instruments and actors in green transitions. It focuses only on goals and investment directions without mentioning supportive fiscal and enterprise policies.

Option B:
Option B is correct since it groups all the true statements and excludes C and F, which marginalise employment and SDG linkages. It presents a balanced view of green economy as both environmental and socio-economic in orientation.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it includes F and omits A. Accepting F would sever the clearly stated connections between green economy and SDGs, while leaving out A removes the foundational definition relating well-being and equity.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect as it again includes F and omits B. This removes the important role of renewable energy and sustainable transport from the picture while retaining a false claim about SDG disconnection.

Urban green spaces moderate temperatures through shade and evapotranspiration, reducing heat-stress risks. Trees and vegetation can also trap some pollutants and improve local air quality. Parks and green corridors provide recreational areas that support physical and mental health, particularly when they are accessible to all socio-economic groups. As such, they contribute to multiple SDG targets related to health, cities and climate action.

Option A:
This option is incorrect because properly designed green spaces tend to lower, not raise, local temperatures and can help manage stormwater.

Option B:
This option correctly highlights the range of environmental and social benefits associated with urban greening.

Option C:
Urban biodiversity is not something to eliminate entirely; many strategies aim to integrate nature into cities in safe and beneficial ways.

Option D:
Limiting access to green spaces to gated communities reduces equity and contradicts inclusive urban-development goals.

Sustainable development explicitly integrates economic efficiency,social equity and environmental protection as coequal goals. It emphasises that growth must not undermine environmental systems or marginalised groups. The three pillar idea is central to this concept in international policy debates. Therefore the description in the question directly corresponds to sustainable development.

Option A:
Sustainable development calls for development strategies that balance present needs with long term environmental limits. It focuses on integrating economic, social and ecological objectives in a coherent framework. Because the stem highlights exactly this triple focus, this option correctly captures the intended concept.

Option B:
Economic liberalisation primarily refers to reducing state control over markets through deregulation and opening to trade and investment. It may increase growth but does not inherently ensure social equity or environmental protection. Hence it is narrower and cannot represent the three pillar model in the question.

Option C:
Structural adjustment describes policy packages involving privatisation, subsidy reduction and fiscal austerity, usually aimed at macroeconomic stabilisation. These measures often ignore environmental and distributional concerns and therefore do not match the triple pillar perspective in the stem.

Option D:
The Green revolution focused on boosting agricultural yields using high yielding varieties, chemical inputs and irrigation. While it improved food production, it also generated ecological and social challenges. It is a specific historical episode rather than a general development paradigm integrating three pillars.