UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — The hidden, rising cost of climate change on everyday life in India

Q1. According to the World Bank, by 2050, rising temperatures and shifting monsoon patterns under a business-as-usual scenario could shave off up to what percentage of India's GDP?

  • A. 1.5%
  • B. 2.0%
  • C. 2.8%
  • D. 4.5%

Q2. With reference to India's climate-related fiscal and policy posture as captured in the Economic Survey 2025-26 and India's updated NDC, consider the following statements: 1. India's adaptation and resilience-related domestic spending rose from 3.7% of GDP in FY2016 to 5.6% of GDP in FY2022. 2. India's updated NDC, submitted in August 2022, retains the same net-zero target year as its original 2015 NDC submission. 3. The Economic Survey 2025-26 for the first time formally adopted a 'development-centred, whole-of-economy' climate strategy, replacing the earlier silo-based mitigation-only framing. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. India's adaptation and resilience-related domestic spending rose from 3.7% of GDP in FY2016 to 5.6% of GDP in FY2022.
  2. India's updated NDC, submitted in August 2022, retains the same net-zero target year as its original 2015 NDC submission.
  3. The Economic Survey 2025-26 for the first time formally adopted a 'development-centred, whole-of-economy' climate strategy, replacing the earlier silo-based mitigation-only framing.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q3. With reference to the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), consider the following: 1. National Solar Mission 2. National Water Mission 3. National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem 4. National Clean Air Mission Which of the above is/are correctly identified as National Missions under NAPCC?

  1. National Solar Mission
  2. National Water Mission
  3. National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem
  4. National Clean Air Mission
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q4. At which Conference of Parties (COP) of the UNFCCC did India formally announce its net-zero by 2070 target as part of the 'Panchamrit' commitments that were subsequently embedded in its updated Nationally Determined Contribution?

  • A. COP21, Paris (2015)
  • B. COP24, Katowice (2018)
  • C. COP26, Glasgow (2021)
  • D. COP27, Sharm el-Sheikh (2022)