UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Climate crisis is ‘outrunning us’, UN chief warns COP31

Q1. With reference to the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The office of COP President normally rotates among the five United Nations regional groups.
  2. A country may hold the COP Presidency even when the session is physically held in another country.
  3. Being the supreme body of the Convention, the COP convenes only once every five years, to coincide with each Global Stocktake.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 2 and 3 only

Q2. Consider the following statements regarding the evolution of the international climate regime: Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. The Kyoto Protocol set legally binding emission reduction targets for industrialised countries and economies in transition listed in its Annex B.
  2. The UNFCCC itself, before the Kyoto Protocol, did not impose binding quantified emission targets on industrialised countries.
  3. Under the Paris Agreement, only developed country Parties are required to prepare and communicate NDCs.
  4. Under the Paris Agreement, the level of a Party's mitigation contribution is set by that Party rather than assigned through a negotiated allocation.
  • A. 3 and 4 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 3 and 4 only

Q3. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. During the Kyoto Protocol's commitment periods, India was not subject to any legally binding quantified emission reduction target under that Protocol.
  2. The Kyoto Protocol placed binding emission targets only on the industrialised countries and economies in transition listed in its Annex B, on the ground that developed countries are largely responsible for the high levels of emissions in the atmosphere.
  • 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

Q4. With reference to the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance agreed at COP29, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Developed countries are to take the lead on the goal of providing at least USD 300 billion a year to developing countries by 2035.
  2. The wider aspiration of USD 1.3 trillion a year by 2035 is to be met solely from the public budgets of developed countries.
  3. The NCQG succeeds the earlier collective goal of USD 100 billion a year.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 only
  • D. 1 and 3 only

Q5. At a climate conference, negotiators argue that a high-income Party should contribute to climate finance. The Party has low cumulative historical emissions and was never among the Kyoto Protocol's Annex B countries. Which element of the climate regime's equity principles most directly supports this argument?

  • A. The respective capabilities limb of CBDR-RC
  • B. The precautionary principle under the UNFCCC
  • C. Permanent sovereignty over natural resources
  • D. The historical responsibility limb of CBDR-RC

Q6. With reference to the outcome of the first Global Stocktake adopted at COP28, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. It called for phasing out all fossil fuel subsidies by 2030.
  2. It called for transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems.
  3. Its language on coal was framed as a phase-down of unabated coal power, not as a phase-out of all coal use.
  • A. 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 3 only

Q7. Consider the following facts about India's climate commitments. Under its updated NDC (2022), India commits to reducing the emissions intensity of its GDP by 45 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030. It also commits to achieving about 50 per cent of cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030. These are steps towards net zero by 2070. Which of the following inferences can validly be drawn from the above?

  1. About half of India's electricity generated in 2030 will necessarily come from non-fossil sources.
  2. India's absolute greenhouse gas emissions could keep rising until 2030 while it still meets its intensity target.
  3. The net-zero goal implies that India will produce no emissions at all from coal-based power by 2070.
  4. India's commitments reflect a phased transition rather than an immediate exit from fossil fuels.
  • A. 3 and 4 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 4 only

Q8. With reference to the Paris Agreement, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. It aims to hold the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C.
  2. Because the contributions of Parties are nationally determined, the Paris Agreement is not a legally binding treaty.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 only
  • C. Both 1 and 2
  • D. Neither 1 nor 2