Environment – True/False – GK Questions

Q: The Narmada Bachao Andolan was primarily a movement against the construction of large dams on the Narmada River.

True – Led by Medha Patkar, the movement highlighted displacement of tribal communities and environmental impacts of dams like Sardar Sarovar.

Q: Geothermal energy can be harnessed only in regions with active volcanoes or hot springs.

False – While high-temperature geothermal resources are found in tectonically active areas, low-temperature resources exist widely and can be used for heating via heat pumps.

Q: Nuclear energy is classified as a non-renewable energy source because it relies on uranium, a finite resource.

True – Although nuclear power produces low carbon emissions, uranium ore is finite and non-renewable on human timescales.

Q: Hydropower is considered a renewable energy source because water is replenished through the natural water cycle.

True – The water cycle (evaporation, precipitation) continuously replenishes water in reservoirs, making hydropower renewable, though dams have ecological impacts.

Q: Chilika Lake in Odisha is Asia's largest brackish water lagoon and a Ramsar site.

True – Chilika is the largest coastal lagoon in India and the second largest in the world, designated a Ramsar site for its wetland significance.

Q: The Great Himalayan National Park in Himachal Pradesh was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site primarily for its outstanding biodiversity conservation.

True – It was recognized for its significant habitats for conservation of biodiversity, including threatened mammal and bird species.

Q: Manas National Park in Assam is both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Tiger Reserve.

True – Manas is a UNESCO site for its biodiversity and also a Project Tiger reserve, though it faced challenges from insurgency in the past.

Q: The London Convention (1972) regulates the dumping of wastes and other matter into the ocean.

True – The Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter aims to control marine pollution from dumping.

Q: The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the only legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management.

True – UNCCD addresses land degradation and drought, particularly in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas, promoting sustainable land use.

Q: The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has three appendices that list species according to the level of protection they need.

True – Appendix I lists species threatened with extinction (trade prohibited), Appendix II regulates trade, and Appendix III includes species protected in at least one country.