Create a custom practice set
Pick category, difficulty, number of questions, and time limit. Start instantly with your own quiz.
Generate QuizEnvironment – Medium Level – GK Questions
Free practice for SSC, UPSC, Banking & Railway exams. No login required.
The 'Tragedy of the Commons' describes a situation where individuals acting in self-interest deplete a shared resource, harming collective welfare.
- True
- False
Answer: True
This concept, illustrated by overgrazing of common land, highlights the need for collective action, property rights, or regulation to manage common-pool resources.
A 'Carbon Tax' is a fiscal policy instrument that charges emitters for each ton of _____ released into the atmosphere.
- Methane
- Carbon dioxide equivalent
- Nitrous oxide
- Sulphur dioxide
Answer: Carbon dioxide equivalent
Carbon taxes internalize the social cost of carbon emissions, incentivizing reduction through market mechanisms and generating revenue for green investments.
Which of the following best describes the concept of 'Externalities' in environmental economics?
- Costs or benefits of an economic activity that affect third parties not directly involved
- Government subsidies for industries
- International trade tariffs
- Stock market fluctuations
Answer: Costs or benefits of an economic activity that affect third parties not directly involved
Negative externalities like pollution impose costs on society not reflected in market prices, justifying policy interventions like taxes or regulations.
Which of the following is a key feature of the 'National Clean Air Programme' (NCAP) in India?
- Banning all vehicles in cities
- City-specific action plans to reduce PM2.5 and PM10 levels by 20-30% by 2024
- Closing all industries permanently
- Exporting air pollution to neighboring countries
Answer: City-specific action plans to reduce PM2.5 and PM10 levels by 20-30% by 2024
NCAP, launched in 2019, targets 132 non-attainment cities with tailored strategies for air quality improvement through multi-sectoral interventions.
Which of the following is an application of drone technology in environmental conservation?
- Mining exploration only
- Monitoring wildlife, detecting illegal logging, and mapping habitats
- Advertising campaigns
- Food delivery only
Answer: Monitoring wildlife, detecting illegal logging, and mapping habitats
Drones provide cost-effective, high-resolution aerial data for biodiversity monitoring, anti-poaching efforts, and habitat assessment.
The 'India Water Portal' is an initiative that provides information on water resources, quality, and management, hosted by _____.
- ISRO
- The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
- Ministry of Railways
- Reserve Bank of India
Answer: The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
India Water Portal, supported by Arghyam and managed by TERI, serves as a knowledge platform for water-related information and best practices.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can be used to map and analyze spatial patterns of environmental pollution.
- True
- False
Answer: True
GIS integrates spatial data with attribute information, enabling visualization, analysis, and decision-making for environmental management and planning.
The 'National Air Quality Monitoring Programme' (NAMP) in India is implemented by the _____.
- ISRO
- Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
- DRDO
- Ministry of Agriculture
Answer: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
CPCB coordinates NAMP through a network of monitoring stations across India to assess ambient air quality and trends of key pollutants.
Which satellite system is used by India for remote sensing and environmental monitoring?
- GPS
- IRS (Indian Remote Sensing)
- GLONASS
- Galileo
Answer: IRS (Indian Remote Sensing)
The IRS satellite series by ISRO provides data for agriculture, forestry, water resources, disaster management, and environmental studies.
Which of the following is a benefit of maintaining forest cover in watershed areas?
- Increased soil erosion
- Regulation of water flow and prevention of floods
- Reduced groundwater recharge
- Higher sediment load in rivers
Answer: Regulation of water flow and prevention of floods
Forests intercept rainfall, reduce runoff velocity, enhance infiltration, and stabilize soil, thereby regulating stream flow and mitigating floods.
Which of the following is a characteristic feature of mangrove forests?
- Trees with needle-like leaves
- Salt-tolerant trees with aerial roots (pneumatophores)
- Trees that shed leaves in winter
- Trees found only in high altitudes
Answer: Salt-tolerant trees with aerial roots (pneumatophores)
Mangroves have specialized adaptations like pneumatophores for oxygen uptake in waterlogged, saline coastal environments.
The 'Van Panchayat' system of forest management is traditionally practiced in the _____ region of India.
- Western Ghats
- Himalayan
- Thar Desert
- Sundarbans
Answer: Himalayan
Van Panchayats are community-managed forest councils in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, empowering locals to conserve and use forest resources sustainably.
The concept of 'Joint Forest Management' (JFM) in India involves local communities in forest protection and management.
- True
- False
Answer: True
JFM, initiated in 1990, partners forest departments with village communities for sustainable forest management and sharing of benefits.
The term 'agroforestry' refers to the integration of _____ with agricultural crops and/or livestock.
- Mining
- Trees and shrubs
- Urban infrastructure
- Industrial units
Answer: Trees and shrubs
Agroforestry combines agriculture and forestry practices to enhance biodiversity, improve soil health, and increase farm productivity sustainably.
Which type of forest is characterized by trees that shed their leaves during the dry season?
- Evergreen forest
- Deciduous forest
- Coniferous forest
- Mangrove forest
Answer: Deciduous forest
Deciduous forests have trees that lose leaves seasonally to conserve water during dry periods, common in tropical and temperate regions.
Which of the following phenomena is associated with the 'Jet Stream'?
- Ocean tides
- Fast-flowing, narrow air currents in the upper troposphere
- Volcanic eruptions
- Earthquake patterns
Answer: Fast-flowing, narrow air currents in the upper troposphere
Jet streams are high-altitude, high-speed wind bands that influence weather patterns and aviation routes globally.
Which of the following is a primary cause of the formation of trade winds?
- Ocean currents only
- Pressure gradient force and Coriolis effect
- Volcanic activity
- Solar flares
Answer: Pressure gradient force and Coriolis effect
Trade winds form due to air moving from high-pressure subtropical zones toward the equatorial low, deflected by the Coriolis effect.
The Coriolis effect, which influences wind direction, is caused by Earth's _____.
- Revolution around the Sun
- Rotation on its axis
- Magnetic field
- Gravitational pull
Answer: Rotation on its axis
Earth's rotation deflects moving air and water to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and left in the Southern Hemisphere, affecting wind patterns.
Temperature increases with altitude in the stratosphere due to absorption of UV radiation by ozone.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Ozone molecules absorb ultraviolet radiation, converting it to heat, which causes temperature to rise with altitude in the stratosphere.
The boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere is called the _____.
- Stratopause
- Tropopause
- Mesopause
- Thermopause
Answer: Tropopause
The tropopause is the transition layer where temperature stops decreasing with height, marking the upper limit of weather activity.