Microtheme: Climate Change —
11 questions asked in Prelims in the past.

1. [2020] Which one of the following statements best describes the term ‘Social Cost of Carbon’? It is a measure, in monetary value, of the
   • (a) long-term damage done by a tonne of CO2, emissions in a given year.
   • (b) requirement of fossil fuels for a country to provide goods and services to its citizens,
   • (c) efforts put in by a climate refugee to adapt to live in a new place.
   • (d) contribution of an individual person to the carbon footprint on the planet Earth.
   Correct Answer: (A) long-term damage done by a tonne of CO2, emissions in a given year.
2. [2019] In the context of which of the following do some scientists suggest the use of cirrus cloud thinning technique and the injection of sulphate aerosol into stratosphere?
   • (a) Creating the artificial rains in some regions
   • (b) Reducing the frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones
   • (c) Reducing the adverse effects of solar wind on the Earth
   • (d) Reducing the global warming
   Correct Answer: (D) Reducing the global warming
3. [2018] The term “sixth mass extinction/sixth extinction” is often mentioned in the news in the context of the discussion of
   • (a) Widespread monoculture practices in agriculture and large-scale commercial farming with indiscriminate use of chemicals in many parts of the world that may result in the loss of good native ecosystems.
   • (b) Fears of a possible collision of a meteorite with the Earth in the near future in the manner it happened 65 million years ago that caused the mass extinction of many species including those of dinosaurs.
   • (c) Large scale cultivation of genetically modified crops in many parts of the world and promoting their cultivation in other parts of the world which may cause the disappearance of good native crop plants and the loss of food biodiversity.
   • (d) Mankind's over-exploitation/misuse of natural resources, fragmentation/loss of natural habitats, destruction of ecosystems, pollution and global climate change.
   Correct Answer: (D) Mankind's over-exploitation/misuse of natural resources, fragmentation/loss of natural habitats, destruction of ecosystems, pollution and global climate change.
4. [2018] Which of the following statements best describes “carbon fertilization”?
   • (a) Increased plant growth due to increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
   • (b) Increased temperature of Earth due to increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
   • (c) Increased acidity of oceans as a result of increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
   • (d) Adaptation of all living beings on Earth to the climate change brought about by the increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
   Correct Answer: (A) Increased plant growth due to increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
5. [2017] In the context of mitigating the impending global warming due to anthropogenic emission of carbon dioxide, which of the following can be the potential sites for carbon sequestration?
   1. Abandoned and Uneconomic coal seams
   2. Depleted oil and gas reservoirs
   3. Subterranean deep saline formations
   Select the correct answer using the code given below:
   • (a) 1 and 2 only
   • (b) 3 only
   • (c) 1 and 3 only
   • (d) 1, 2 and 3
   Correct Answer: (D) 1, 2 and 3
6. [2016] The term ‘Intended Nationally Determined Contributions’ is sometimes seen in the news in
   the context of
   • (a) pledges made by the European countries to rehabilitate refugees from the war-affected Middle East
   • (b) plan of action outlined by the countries of the world to combat climate change
   • (c) capital contributed by the member countries in the establishment of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
   • (d) plan of action outlined by the countries of the world regarding Sustainable Development Goals
   Correct Answer: (B) plan of action outlined by the countries of the world to combat climate change
7. [2014] The scientific view is that the increase in global temperature should not exceed 2 0 C above pre-industrial level. If the global temperature increases beyond 30 C above the pre-industrial level, what can be its possible impact/impacts on the world?
   1. Terrestrial biosphere tends toward a net carbon source.
   2. Widespread coral mortality will occur.
   3. All the global wetlands will permanently disappear.
   4. Cultivation of cereals will not be possible anywhere in the world.
   Select the correct answer using the code given below:
   • (a) 1 only
   • (b) 1 and 2 only
   • (c) 2, 3 and 4 only
   • (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 only
   Correct Answer: (B) 1 and 2 only
8. [2012] The increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the air is slowly raising the temperature of the atmosphere, because it absorbs
   • (a) the water vapour of the air and retains its heat.
   • (b) the UV part of the solar radiation.
   • (c) all the solar radiations.
   • (d) the infrared part of the solar radiation.
   Correct Answer: (D) the infrared part of the solar radiation.
9. [2012] Which of the following can be threats to the biodiversity of a geographical area?
   1. Global warming
   2. Fragmentation of habitat
   3. Invasion of alien species
   4. Promotion of vegetarianism
   Choose the correct answer using the code given below:
   • (a) 1, 2 and 3 only
   • (b) 2 and 3 only
   • (c) 1 and 4 only
   • (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
   Correct Answer: (A) 1, 2 and 3 only
10. [2011] Human activities in the recent past have caused the increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but a lot of it does not remain in the lower atmosphere because
    1. its escape into the outer stratosphere
    2. the photosynthesis by phytoplankton in the oceans
    3. the trapping of air in the polar ice caps.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    • (a) 1 and 2 only
    • (b) 2 only
    • (c) 2 and 3 only
    • (d) 3 only
    Correct Answer: (B) 2 only
11. [2010] Consider the following which can be found in the ambient atmosphere:
    1. Soot
    2. Sulphur hexafluoride
    3. Water vapour
    Which of the above contribute to the warming up of the atmosphere?
    • (a) 1 and 2 only
    • (b) 3 only
    • (c) 2 and 3 only
    • (d) 1,2 and 3
    Correct Answer: (D) 1,2 and 3