UPSC CSE Prelims
Global Climate Initiatives Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Detailed Explanation:

Correct Answer: ✅ Option 3

At COP28, India did not sign the Declaration on Climate and Health. India's concern was not about the objective of climate-resilient healthcare, but about the practical implications of rapid decarbonization in a developing country where ensuring reliable and accessible healthcare remains a priority.

✅ Statement I is Correct: India refrained from signing the COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health.

❌ Statement II is Incorrect: The declaration is voluntary and non-binding. Signing it does not create a legal obligation to decarbonize the health sector.

✅ Statement III is Correct: India expressed concerns that aggressive decarbonization requirements could affect the resilience, accessibility, and reliability of healthcare services, especially in resource-constrained settings.

✅ Statement III explains Statement I: Concerns regarding healthcare resilience and developmental priorities contributed to India's decision not to sign the declaration.

❌ Statement II does not explain Statement I: Since the declaration is not legally binding, this statement is factually incorrect.

Short Notes: COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health

• The declaration was launched at COP28 (Dubai, 2023).

• It highlights the link between climate change and public health.

• The declaration is voluntary and non-binding.

• It encourages countries to build climate-resilient and sustainable health systems.

• More than 120 countries supported the declaration.

• India did not sign due to concerns over healthcare accessibility and developmental priorities.

• Climate change increases risks from heatwaves, diseases, floods, and extreme weather events.

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 2 — 2 only

❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: The Paris Agreement was adopted in December 2015 and signed in April 2016, but it entered into force on November 4, 2016 (not 2017) after 55 countries representing at least 55% of global emissions ratified it. Moreover, it was not signed by all UN member countries.

✅ Statement 2 – Correct: The Paris Agreement's central aim is to strengthen the global response to climate change by keeping the global temperature rise this century well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C.

❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: While developed countries acknowledged their historical responsibility under the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC), the financial commitment was $100 billion per year by 2020, not $1000 billion.

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 2 — Plan of action outlined by the countries of the world to combat climate change.

Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) are voluntary climate action plans submitted by countries before the Paris Agreement (2015). Each nation outlined its intended contributions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, transition to renewable energy, and adapt to climate impacts based on its national circumstances and capabilities. Once countries ratified the Paris Agreement, these INDCs became Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) — the cornerstone of the global climate framework. They follow a bottom-up approach where countries independently determine their targets rather than having them imposed internationally.

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 1 — It is an international accounting tool for government and business leaders to understand, quantify and manage greenhouse gas emissions

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol is the most widely used global framework for measuring and managing greenhouse gas emissions. Developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), it provides standardized methods for organizations and governments to account for their carbon footprint. It is not a UN financial initiative, not a legally binding intergovernmental agreement, and not related to REDD+ initiatives hosted by the World Bank.

Detailed Explanation:

✅ Statement 1 – Correct: The National Water Mission (NWM) explicitly includes urban water recycling and reuse as a key strategy to meet part of the water needs of urban areas and reduce dependency on freshwater sources.

✅ Statement 2 – Correct: The NWM promotes adoption of desalination technologies for coastal cities facing water scarcity, particularly where alternative freshwater sources are inadequate.

❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: The interlinking of rivers is a separate project under the National Perspective Plan, not part of the NWM's mandate, which focuses on water conservation and efficient use.

❌ Statement 4 – Incorrect: The NWM emphasizes sustainable groundwater management and promotes efficiency, but does not include financial reimbursement schemes for farmers' bore-well and pump-set expenses.