UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Contextualising WWF’s report on wildlife population decline

Q1. With reference to the way the Living Planet Index (LPI) is computed, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Because the index averages relative changes, a population falling from 1,000 to 100 individuals affects it in the same way as one falling from 10 to 1.
  2. A 73% fall in the index means that about 73 of every 100 individual animals monitored in 1970 are no longer present.
  3. A population that is not monitored cannot influence the index, however sharply it declines.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 only
  • D. 2 and 3 only

Q2. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. A sharp fall in the Living Planet Index is not, by itself, evidence of a decline in the diversity of flowering plants.
  2. The Living Planet Index is computed only from monitored populations of vertebrates such as mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q3. The 2026 Living Planet Index reports that monitored populations of vertebrate species fell by an average of 73% between 1970 and 2022. Which of the following inferences can validly be drawn from this figure alone?

  1. Roughly three-quarters of the monitored populations are smaller today than they were in 1970.
  2. The figure cannot tell us how many vertebrate species became extinct during this period.
  3. Wildlife populations declined at a steady rate of about 1.4% every year between 1970 and 2022.
  4. The figure is consistent with some monitored populations having grown over this period.
  • A. 1, 3 and 4 only
  • B. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1 and 2 only

Q4. With reference to the Living Planet Index (LPI) and the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Red List, like the LPI, reports its headline result as an average percentage change in population size from a fixed baseline year.
  2. The Red List places individual species in categories of extinction risk, whereas the LPI tracks trends in the abundance of monitored populations.
  3. Fungi fall within the scope of both the Red List and the LPI.
  • A. 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q5. With reference to the design of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Its 2050 goals are action-oriented steps, while its 2030 targets describe the end-state outcomes to be achieved.
  2. Restoring degraded ecosystems and conserving land, waters and seas are set out as separate targets.
  3. The decision adopting it includes a monitoring framework to track progress.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 3 only
  • D. 2 and 3 only

Q6. Consider the following assertion: 'A falling global Living Planet Index cannot, on its own, tell whether a given country is meeting its commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.' Which of the following statements support/supports the above assertion?

  1. The Living Planet Index covers only vertebrate populations, whereas the framework's targets also cover ecosystems and genetic diversity.
  2. The framework is implemented through national targets set by each Party, whereas the index is a global average across populations.
  3. The Living Planet Index counts the number of species that have gone extinct, a measure the framework does not use.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1 only

Q7. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. A country can add to its contribution under Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework without notifying any new protected area.
  2. Under Target 3, only areas formally notified as protected areas count towards the 30% coverage.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q8. With reference to Target 3 ('30x30') of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. The 30% commitment covers coastal and marine areas as well as land and inland waters.
  2. Implementation must recognise and respect the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, including over their traditional territories.
  3. All use of natural resources is prohibited within areas counted towards the target.
  4. The areas counted are expected to form well-connected systems, not just to add up to a large total area.
  • A. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • B. 1, 2, 3 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1 and 3 only