Environment & Ecology › International Environmental Treaties & Summits – UPSC Prelims PYQs

At the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) held in June, 2025 in France, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations demonstrated its leading voice on marine and ocean issues, especially on sustainable fisheries and aquaculture for resilient livelihood and “Blue Transformation”.

Which of the following combinations about the “Four Betters” proposed by FAO for “Blue Transformation” is correct ?

Consider the following statements :

Statement I : At the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), India refrained from signing the ‘Declaration on Climate and Health’.

Statement II : The COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health is a binding declaration; and if signed, it becomes mandatory to decarbonize health sector.

Statement III : If India’s health sector is decarbonized, the resilience of its health-care system may be compromised.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Consider the following statements :

Statement I : Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on climate change is frequently discussed in global discussions on sustainable development and climate change.

Statement II : Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on climate change sets out the principles of carbon markets.

Statement III : Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on climate change intends to promote inter-country non-market strategies to reach their climate targets.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Which one of the following launched the ‘Nature Solutions Finance Hub for Asia and the Pacific’?

Which organization has enacted the Nature Restoration Law (NRL) to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss?

Consider the following statements :

Statement-I : The European Parliament approved The Net-Zero Industry Act recently.

Statement-II : The European Union intends to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 and therefore aims to develop all of its own clean technology by that time.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements ?

“Climate Action Tracker” which monitors the emission reduction pledges of different countries is a :

Consider the following statements :

1. “The Climate Group” is an international non-profit organization that drives climate action by building large networks and runs them.
2. The International Energy Agency in partnership with the Climate Group launched a global initiative “EP100”.
3. EP100 brings together leading companies committed to driving innovation in energy efficiency and increasing competitiveness while delivering on emission reduction goals.
4. Some Indian companies are members of EP100.
5. The International Energy Agency is the Secretariat to the “Under2 Coalition”.

Which of the statements given above are correct ?

Consider the following statements :

1. The Global Ocean Commission grants licences for seabed exploration and mining in international waters.
2. India has received licences for seabed mineral exploration in international waters.
3. 'Rare earth minerals' are present on seafloor in international waters.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Consider the following statements :

1. Under Ramsar Convention, it is mandatory on the part of the Government of India to protect and conserve all the wetlands in the territory of India.
2. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 were framed by the Government of India based on the recommendations of Ramsar Convention.
3. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 also encompass the drainage area or catchment regions of the wetlands as determined by the authority.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), a UN mechanism to assist countries transition towards greener and more inclusive economies, emerged at

"Momentum for Change : Climate Neutral Now" is an initiative launched by

With reference to Manipuri Sankirtana, consider the following statements :

1. It is a song and dance performance.
2. Cymbals are the only musical instruments used in the performance.
3. It is performed to narrate the life and deeds of Lord Krishna.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

With reference to 'Global Climate Change Alliance', which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. It is an initiative of the European Union.
2. It provides technical and financial support to targeted developing countries to integrate climate change into their development policies and budgets.
3. It is coordinated by World Resources Institute (WRI) and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

With reference to the role of UN-Habitat in the United Nations programme working towards a better urban future, which of the statements is/are correct ?

1. UN-Habitat has been mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities to provide adequate shelter for all.
2. Its partners are either governments or local urban authorities only.
3. UN-Habitat contributes to the overall objective of the United Nations system to reduce poverty and to promote access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.

Select the correct answer using the code given below ;

The term 'Intended Nationally Determined Contributions' is sometimes seen in the news in the context of

What is/are the importance/importances of the 'United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification'?

1. It aims to promote effective action through innovative national programmes and supportive international partnerships.
2. It has a special/particular focus on South Asia and North Africa regions, and its Secretariat facilitates the allocation of major portion of financial resources to these regions.
3. It is committed to bottom-up approach, encouraging the participation of local people in combating the desertification.

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Which of the following statements is/are correct? Proper design and effective implementation of UN-REDD+ Programme can significantly contribute to

1. protection of biodiversity
2. resilience of forest ecosystems
3. poverty reduction

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With reference to 'Agenda 21', sometimes seen in the news, consider the following statements :

1. It is a global action plan for sustainable development.
2. It originated in the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in 2002.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements :

1. The International Solar Alliance was launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2015.
2. The Alliance includes all the member countries of the United Nations.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to the Agreement at the UNFCCC Meeting in Paris in 2015, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. The Agreement was signed by all the member countries of the UN and it will go into effect in 2017.
2. The Agreement aims to limit the greenhouse gas emissions so that the rise in average global temperature by the end of this century does not exceed 2 °C or even 1·5 °C above pre-industrial levels.
3. Developed countries acknowledged their historical responsibility in global warming and committed to donate $ 1000 billion a year from 2020 to help developing countries to cope with climate change.

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Consider the following statements :

1. The Sustainable Development Goals were first proposed in 1972 by a global think tank called the 'Club of Rome'.
2. The Sustainable Development Goals have to be achieved by 2030.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. IUCN is an organ of the United Nations and CITES is an international agreement between governments.
2. IUCN runs thousands of field projects around the world to better manage natural environments.
3. CITES is legally binding on the States that have joined it, but this Convention does not take the place of national laws.

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Which one of the following is associated with the issue of control and phasing out of the use of ozone-depleting substances?

What is Rio+20 Conference, often mentioned in the news?

Which of the following statements regarding ‘Green Climate Fund’ is/are correct?

1. It is intended to assist the developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change.
2. It is founded under the aegis of UNEP, OECD, Asian Development Bank and World Bank.

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'BioCarbon Fund Initiative for Sustainable Forest Landscapes' is managed by the

With reference to 'Forest Carbon Partnership Facility', which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. It is a global partnership of governments, businesses, civil society and indigenous peoples.
2. It provides financial aid to universities, individual scientists and institutions involved in scientific forestry research to develop eco-friendly and climate adaptation technologies for sustainable forest management.
3. It assists the countries in their 'REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation+)' efforts by providing them with financial and technical assistance.

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With reference to an organization known as 'BirdLife International', which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. It is a Global Partnership of Conservation Organizations.
2. The concept of 'biodiversity hotspots' originated from this organization.
3. It identifies the sites known/referred to as 'Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas'.

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If a wetland of international importance is brought under the 'Montreux Record', what does it imply?

With reference to 'Global Environment Facility', which of the following statements is/are correct?

Consider the following international agreements :

1. The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
2. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
3. The World Heritage Convention

Which of the above has/have a bearing on the biodiversity?

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an international treaty drawn at

India is a party to the Ramsar Convention and has declared many areas as Ramsar Sites.

Which of the following statements best describes how we should maintain these sites in the context of this Convention?

Which one of the following Union Ministries implements the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety ?

Where was the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Rio + 10) held?

Consider the following statements :

1. Kyoto Protocol came into force in the year 2005
2. Kyoto Protocol deals primarily with the depletion of the Ozone layer.
3. Methane as a greenhouse gas is more harmful than carbon dioxide

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which one of the following statements is correct?

A World Summit with representation from all the countries will be held in Johannesburg in September 2002 on the subject of

Match List I with List II

and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:

List I (Important Day) I. World Environment Day II. World Forestry Day III. World Habitat Day IV. World Ozone Day

List II (Date) A) March 20 B) June 5 C) September 16 D) October 3 E) December 10

According to Meadows (1972), if the present trends in world population, industrialisation, pollution, food production and resource depletion continue unchanged, the “Limits to Growth” on our planet will be reached in the next

World Environment Conference to discuss global warming was held in 1997 in