Climate Change and Environmental Conventions MCQs for UPSC Prelims

This Climate Change and International Environmental Conventions MCQ practice paper for UPSC Prelims has 15 carefully selected questions on the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol, the Paris Agreement, the Montreal Protocol, other conventions and India's climate commitments. Each answer comes with a simple explanation, so you can strengthen your concepts while you practise.

Why Climate Change and Environmental Conventions Matters

Climate change and global environmental agreements are favourite topics of UPSC, and they give questions in the Prelims, the Mains and the Essay. The questions test whether you can match a convention with its subject, its year and its principle. Because new summits happen every year, this topic is also a good meeting point of static and current affairs.

Instructions

• Total questions: 15. Suggested time: 15 minutes.
• Each correct answer gives 2 marks and each wrong answer deducts 0.66 marks, as in the real Prelims.
• Attempt the questions first and check the answer key only after you finish.

Practice Questions

Q1. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was adopted in:
(a) 1972
(b) 1992
(c) 1997
(d) 2015

Q2. The Kyoto Protocol is related to:
(a) Ozone layer protection
(b) Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
(c) Protection of wetlands
(d) Control of hazardous waste

Q3. The Paris Agreement was adopted at which Conference of the Parties (COP)?
(a) COP 15
(b) COP 19
(c) COP 21
(d) COP 26

Q4. The Montreal Protocol deals with:
(a) Hazardous waste
(b) Substances that deplete the ozone layer
(c) Persistent organic pollutants
(d) Biodiversity

Q5. The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol is related to the phase-down of:
(a) CFCs
(b) HFCs
(c) Methane
(d) Carbon dioxide

Q6. The Basel Convention is related to:
(a) Ozone layer
(b) Transboundary movement of hazardous wastes
(c) Wetlands
(d) Desertification

Q7. The Stockholm Convention deals with:
(a) Mercury
(b) Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
(c) Whaling
(d) Migratory species

Q8. The Minamata Convention is related to:
(a) Mercury
(b) Lead
(c) Asbestos
(d) Arsenic

Q9. The 'Common but Differentiated Responsibilities' (CBDR) principle means that:
(a) All countries have identical responsibilities
(b) Developed countries have a greater responsibility to reduce emissions
(c) Only developing countries must reduce emissions
(d) Climate change is a local issue

Q10. India announced the target of net-zero emissions by 2070 at:
(a) COP 21, Paris
(b) COP 26, Glasgow
(c) COP 27, Sharm el-Sheikh
(d) COP 28, Dubai

Q11. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was set up by:
(a) UNESCO and FAO
(b) WMO and UNEP
(c) WHO and UNDP
(d) World Bank and IMF

Q12. The International Solar Alliance (ISA) was launched by India and which country?
(a) Germany
(b) France
(c) Japan
(d) Australia

Q13. The Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was adopted in:
(a) 1971
(b) 1994
(c) 2002
(d) 2010

Q14. Which gas has the highest share in the greenhouse effect among the gases emitted by human activity?
(a) Methane
(b) Carbon dioxide
(c) Nitrous oxide
(d) Ozone

Q15. The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) was a part of which agreement?
(a) Paris Agreement
(b) Kyoto Protocol
(c) Montreal Protocol
(d) Basel Convention

Answer Key with Explanations

1. Q1: (b) The UNFCCC was adopted at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and came into force in 1994.
2. Q2: (b) The Kyoto Protocol (1997) set binding emission reduction targets for developed countries.
3. Q3: (c) The Paris Agreement was adopted at COP 21 in December 2015. It aims to keep the global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius, and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees.
4. Q4: (b) The Montreal Protocol (1987) controls the production of ozone-depleting substances such as CFCs.
5. Q5: (b) The Kigali Amendment (2016) aims to phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are strong greenhouse gases.
6. Q6: (b) The Basel Convention (1989) controls the movement of hazardous wastes between countries and their disposal.
7. Q7: (b) The Stockholm Convention (2001) aims to eliminate or restrict POPs, such as DDT and PCBs.
8. Q8: (a) The Minamata Convention (2013) is a global treaty to protect health and the environment from mercury.
9. Q9: (b) CBDR recognises that all countries share the responsibility for climate change, but developed countries have contributed more and must do more.
10. Q10: (b) At COP 26 in Glasgow (2021), India announced the 'Panchamrit' goals, including net-zero by 2070.
11. Q11: (b) The IPCC was set up in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
12. Q12: (b) The ISA was launched jointly by India and France at COP 21 in 2015. Its headquarters are in Gurugram.
13. Q13: (b) The UNCCD was adopted in 1994 and is the only legally binding agreement on land and desertification.
14. Q14: (b) Carbon dioxide is the largest contributor to human-caused global warming. Methane is more potent per molecule, but it has a smaller share.
15. Q15: (b) The CDM under the Kyoto Protocol allowed developed countries to earn carbon credits by funding emission-reduction projects in developing countries.

Key Concepts to Revise After This Test

Quick Fact Sheet

• The UNFCCC secretariat is located at Bonn in Germany.
• India's NDCs include the reduction of emissions intensity of GDP, and a larger share of non-fossil electricity capacity.
• The Kyoto Protocol came into force in 2005.
• The Cartagena Protocol (2000) is about the biosafety of genetically modified organisms.
• The Nagoya Protocol (2010) is about access to genetic resources and benefit sharing.
• The Ozone Day is observed on 16 September, and World Environment Day on 5 June.
• The Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) was launched by India in 2021.

How to Prepare Climate Change and Environmental Conventions for the Prelims

Prepare a single table with these columns: the convention, the year, the subject, the headquarters of the secretariat and the Indian link. Revise it every week. For summits, note the number of the COP, the place, the year and the key outcome of the last five meetings. Link the conventions with current events, such as the latest summit and India's new announcements. You can also read our free Environment and Ecology notes for simple revision, and use our other practice papers on the site for mixed practice.

Tricks for Solving Climate Change and Environmental Conventions Questions

• Match the subject with the name. Ozone goes with Vienna and Montreal, mercury with Minamata, waste with Basel, POPs with Stockholm.
• Remember the "city" of COPs. Kyoto, Paris and Glasgow are often asked.
• Learn the principle. CBDR and the precautionary principle appear often in statement questions.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Confusing the Montreal Protocol (ozone) with the Kyoto Protocol (climate).
• Mixing the Basel and Stockholm conventions.
• Not knowing the year of the main treaties.
• Ignoring the latest COP and India's commitments.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which conventions are most important for the UPSC Prelims?

The UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement, Montreal Protocol, CBD, Ramsar, CITES, Basel, Stockholm and Minamata are among the most important.

What is a Nationally Determined Contribution?

It is the climate action plan that each country submits under the Paris Agreement, with its own targets.

What is the difference between the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement?

Kyoto gave binding targets to developed countries only, while Paris asks all countries to set their own targets.

What is net zero?

It means that the greenhouse gases emitted are balanced by the gases removed from the atmosphere.

What is a carbon credit?

It is a permit that represents one tonne of carbon dioxide reduced or removed, and can be traded.

How should I prepare the conventions?

Make a table with the year, the subject and the Indian link, and revise it weekly with the latest COP news.

Is climate change important for Mains?

Yes. It is a part of GS III, and often gives questions in the Essay and in GS II (international relations).