Environment – GK Questions

EPR makes producers, importers, and brand owners responsible for collecting and managing plastic packaging waste they introduce to the market.

The Act enables the creation of protected areas like National Parks, Sanctuaries, and Conservation Reserves for wildlife conservation.

The Forest Rights Act recognizes the rights of forest-dwelling communities over land and resources, aiming to correct historical injustices.

Section 3 of the EPA 1986 empowers the Central Government to take all necessary measures for environmental protection and improvement.

The Paris Agreement (2015) replaced the Kyoto Protocol, with all nations submitting Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

La Niña, characterized by cooler Pacific waters, often strengthens the Indian monsoon, while El Niño tends to weaken it.

Burning fossil fuels for electricity and heat accounts for the largest share of global GHG emissions, primarily CO2.

Net zero means any emissions are balanced by absorption/removal, often through forests, carbon capture, or other sinks.

NAPCC includes eight missions; NMEEE aims to reduce energy intensity of the economy through market-based mechanisms.

CO2 dissolves in seawater forming carbonic acid, lowering pH and threatening marine organisms with calcium carbonate shells.

As ice melts, darker ocean water absorbs more solar radiation, causing further warming—a positive feedback loop.

IPCC assesses scientific information on climate change and provides policymakers with regular assessments to inform climate policy.

Carbon footprint measures emissions of CO2 and other GHGs associated with activities, helping assess environmental impact.

Warming oceans expand and melting glaciers/ice sheets add water, causing sea levels to rise and threaten coastal areas.

5. coli is used as an indicator because its presence suggests recent fecal contamination and potential presence of other pathogens.

Ground-level ozone is a harmful pollutant causing respiratory problems; stratospheric ozone protects against UV radiation.

CO2 traps heat radiated from Earth's surface, preventing it from escaping into space, thus warming the atmosphere.

Biomagnification causes toxins like DDT or mercury to increase in concentration as they move up the food chain, affecting top predators most.

Use of firewood, dung cakes, and crop residues in traditional chulhas releases harmful pollutants like carbon monoxide and particulate matter indoors.

PM10 can penetrate the respiratory system; finer PM2.5 particles can enter the bloodstream, causing serious health issues.