UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Warming Himalayas demand a rethink on development

Q1. Ice-rich permafrost on steep, high-altitude Himalayan slopes is thawing. With reference to the likely consequences, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Melting of the interstitial ice that binds rock fragments and debris reduces the cohesion of the slope.
  2. Slopes become more stable as meltwater drains away and leaves behind lighter, drier debris.
  3. Rockfall or debris released from the thawing slope can fall into a glacial lake downstream and set off an outburst flood.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1 and 2 only

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

  1. Thawing of permafrost has reduced the stability of high-mountain slopes.
  2. Permafrost is defined as ground that remains at or below 0°C for at least two consecutive years.
  • 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. With reference to glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) in the Himalaya, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. Lakes held back by solid bedrock sills are generally more prone to sudden breaching than lakes held back by moraine, because bedrock is brittle.
  2. Melting of ice buried within a moraine dam can weaken the dam from within, even without any external trigger.
  3. Heavy rainfall, or sudden drainage of a lake higher up the glacier, can trigger the outburst of a lake lower down.
  4. An ice or rock avalanche plunging into a lake can cause an outburst even when the dam itself is otherwise intact.
  • A. 1, 3 and 4 only
  • B. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q4. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. The high mountains of Asia are warming at a faster rate than the global average.
  2. As snow cover shrinks, darker ground and rock are exposed, which absorb more incoming solar radiation and warm the air further.
  • 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

Q5. Consider the following observations about the Himalaya: I. The high mountains of Asia are warming at about 0.3°C per decade, nearly twice the global average. II. The western Himalaya is warming faster than the central and eastern Himalaya. III. Night-time minimum temperatures and winter temperatures are rising. Which of the following inferences can be validly drawn from the above observations?

  1. Planning for glacier-fed water supply and hazards cannot assume one uniform rate of change along the whole Himalayan arc.
  2. Warmer nights and winters can shorten the period in which snow and ice accumulate or refreeze, adding to glacier mass loss.
  3. The eastern Himalaya is undergoing a net cooling that offsets warming in the west.
  4. The warming of the region is caused mainly by local deforestation and road construction in the hills.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 3 and 4 only

Q6. With reference to the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE), consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. It was first framed as one of the emission-reduction targets that India communicated in its Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement.
  2. Its primary objective is to build a sustainable national capacity to continuously assess the health of the Himalayan ecosystem.
  3. Its scope goes beyond glaciers to include the prediction of natural hazards, biodiversity conservation and traditional knowledge systems.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 2 and 3 only

Q7. With reference to the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The IHR is the part of the larger HKH that lies within India's territory.
  2. Membership of ICIMOD is limited to countries that have glaciers within their own territory.
  3. ICIMOD is a specialised agency of the United Nations that reports to the UN Economic and Social Council.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 1 only
  • D. 2 and 3 only