1) Industrial pollution of river water is a significant environmental issue in India. Discuss the various mitigation measures to deal with this problem and also the government’s initiatives in this regard. (Answer in 150 words)
2) What role do environmental NGOs and activists play in influencing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) outcomes for major projects in India? Cite four examples with all important details. (Answer in 150 words)
3) The world is facing an acute shortage of clean and safe freshwater. What are the alternative technologies which can solve this crisis? Briefly discuss any three such technologies citing their key merits and demerits. (Answer in 250 words)
UPSC Mains Environment And Ecology - 2023
1)Discuss several ways in which microorganisms can help
in meeting the current fuel shortage. (10 Marks, 150 Words)
2)What is oil pollution? What are its impacts on the
marine ecosystem? In what way is pollution particularly harmful for a country like India. (10
Marks, 150 Words)
3)Comment on the National Wetland Conservation Programme
initiated by the Government of India and name a few India’s wetlands of international importance
included in the Ramsar Sites. (15 Marks, 250 Words)
4)The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
has predicted a global sea level rise of about one metre by AD 2100. What would be its impact in
India and the other countries in the Indian Ocean region? (15 Marks, 250 Words)
UPSC Mains Environment And Ecology - 2022
1)Each year a large amount of plant material, cellulose
is deposited on the surface of Planet Earth. What are the natural process this cellulose
undergoes before yielding carbon dioxide, water and other end products? (10 Marks, 150
Words)
2)Discuss in detail the photochemical smog emphasising
its formation, effects and mitigation. Explain the 1999 Gothenburg Protocol. (10 Marks, 150
Words)
3)Explain the mechanism and occurrence of cloudburst in
the context of Indian subcontinent. Discuss two recent examples. (10 Marks, 150 Words)
4)Discuss global warming and mention its effects on
global climate. Explain the control measures to bring down the level of greenhouse gases which
cause global warming, in the light of Kyoto Protocol, 1997. (15 Marks, 250 Words)
5)Explain the causes and effects of coastal erosion in
India. What are the available coastal management techniques for combating the hazard? (15 Marks,
250 Words)
UPSC Mains Environment And Ecology - 2021
1)How and to what extent would micro-irrigation help in
solving India’s water crisis? (10 Marks, 150 Words)
2)Explain the purpose of the Green Grid Initiative
launched at the World Leaders Summit of the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in
November 2021. When was this idea first floated in the International Solar Alliance (ISA)? (10
Marks, 150 Words)
3)Describe the key points of the revised Global Air
Quality Guidelines (AQGs) recently released by the World Health Organisation (WHO). How are
these different from its last update in 2005? What changes in India’s National Clean Air
Programme are required to achieve these revised standards? (10 Marks, 150 Words)
4)Describe the major outcomes of the 26th session of the
Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC). What are the commitments made by India at this conference? (15 Marks, 250
Words)
5)Describe the various causes and effects of landslides.
Mention the important components of the National Landslide Risk Management Strategy. (15 Marks,
250 Words)
UPSC Mains Environment And Ecology - 2020
1)How does the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA)
Notification, 2020 differ from the existing EIA Notification, 2006? (10 Marks, 150
Words)
2)What are the salient features of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan
launched by the Government of India for water conservation and water security? (10 Marks, 150
Words)
3)Suggest measures to improve water storage and
irrigation system to make its judicious use under depleting scenario. (15 Marks, 250
Words)
UPSC Mains Environment And Ecology - 2019
1)Define the concept of carrying capacity of an ecosystem
as relevant to an environment. Explain how understanding this concept is vital while planning
for sustainable development of a region.(15 Marks, 250 Words)
2)Coastal sand mining, whether legal or illegal, poses
one of the biggest threats to our environment. Analyze the impact of sand mining along the
Indians coasts,
citing specific examples.(10 Marks, 150 Words)
UPSC Mains Environment And Ecology - 2018
1) Sikkim is the first ‘Organic State’ in India. What are
the ecological and economical benefits of Organic State?(10 Marks, 150 Words)
2) How does biodiversity vary in India? How is the
Biological Diversity Act, 2002 helpful in conservation of
flora and fauna?(15 Marks, 250 Words)
3) What are the impediments disposing the huge quantities
of discarded solid waste which are continuously being generated? How do we remove safely the
toxic wastes that have been accumulated in our habitable environment?(10 Marks, 150
Words)
4) What is wetland? Explain the Ramsar concept of ‘wise
use’ in the context of wetland conservation. Cite two examples of Ramsar sites from India.(10
Marks, 150 Words)
UPSC Mains Environment And Ecology - 2017
1) ‘Climate change’ is a global problem. How India will
be affected by climate change? How Himalayan and coastal states of India will be affected by
climate change? (15 Marks, 250 Words)
2) Not many years ago, river linking was a concept but it
is becoming reality in the country. Discuss the advantages of river linking and its possible
impact on the environment.(10 Marks, 150 Words)
UPSC Mains Environment And Ecology - 2016
1)Rehabilitation of human settlements is one of the
important environmental impacts which always attracts controversy while planning major projects.
Discuss the measures suggested for mitigation of this impact while proposing major developmental
projects.(12.5 Marks, 200 Words)
UPSC Mains Environment And Ecology - 2015
1) Discuss the Namami Gange and National Mission for
Clean Ganga (NMCG) programmes and causes of mixed results from the previous schemes. What
quantum leaps can help preserve the river Ganga better than incremental inputs?(12.5 Marks, 200
Words)
UPSC Mains Environment And Ecology - 2014
1) Environmental Impact Assessment studies are
increasingly undertaken before a project is cleared by the Government. Discuss the environmental
impacts of coal-fired thermal plants
located at coal pitheads.(12.5 Marks, 200 Words)
UPSC Mains Environment And Ecology - 2013
1) Enumerate the National Water Policy of India. Taking
river Ganges as an example, discuss the strategies which may be adopted for river water
pollution control and management. What are the legal provisions of management and handling of
hazardous wastes in India?(10 Marks, 200 Words)
2)What are the consequences of Illegal mining? Discuss
the Ministry of Environment and Forests’ concept of GO AND NO GO zones for coal mining sector(10
Marks, 200 Words)
