Environmental Studies · General Awareness

Environmental Management and Policy

7,105 Questions

Environmental Management and Policy focuses on sustainable development, ecological regulations, and renewable energy resources. Questions address pollution reduction, circular economy concepts, and the environmental impact of human activities. This topic is increasingly important for all major competitive tests.

Sustainable developmentRenewable energy benefitsEnvironmental impact assessmentPollution reduction strategiesCircular economy concepts

Environmental Management and Policy Questions

Multiple choice

Which one of the following is correct?

Direction: Read the following passage and answer the questions.

PASSAGE: Wind power has obvious advantages—it is nonpolluting, causes no ecological imbalance, requires no throughput fuel and has extremely low gestation period. After almost a decade of sporadic growth, wind energy finally seems to be stepping out from shadows of alternative technology into the commercial mainstream, worldwide. Even though, India now has an installed base of just over 1,600 MW. This is nothing compared to countries such as Germany, which meets around 20 per cent of its energy requirements from wind energy. Wind power offers long-term price stability too. Not only are generation costs of such projects low, the capital expenditure is comparable to fossil fuel-based stations. Wind power plants have low operating and maintenance costs. Long-term economics work out to be quite favourable for the wind-energy. In fact, it is being seen as a solution to sustainable development. By the end of 2001, the installed wind-power was almost 25,000 MW.

  1. In Germany, 25,000 MW of electricity is generated by using wind-power.

  2. Wind-power plants offer no price stability.

  3. Wind-power is economically viable on long-term basis.

  4. In America, 20% of the power requirements are met through wind-power.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Multiple choice

'Eco Mark' is given to the Indian products that are

  1. pure and unadulterated

  2. rich in protein

  3. economically viable

  4. environment-friendly
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Eco Mark is a certification mark issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards for products that conform to a set of standards aimed at minimizing environmental impact.

Multiple choice

What is an ECO MARK?

  1. A scheme for labelling pollution-free industrial unit

  2. A scheme for labelling environment friendly consumer product

  3. A cost - effective production technique

  4. An international certification recognising eco-friendly building
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Correct option is (2).

Multiple choice

Directions: Answer the following question by selecting the most appropriate option.

Which one of the following is not a principle of sustainable development?

  1. Maximum use of natural resources

  2. Respect and care for all forms of life

  3. Change in personal attitude and practices towards environment

  4. Improvement in the quality of human life
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. However, excessive use of natural resources will exhaust the resources for future generation. Thus, option (1) is the correct answer. 

Multiple choice

Which of the following is not associated with the management of natural resources?

  1. Short-term perspective

  2. Equitable distribution

  3. Plan for safe disposable of wastes

  4. Taking care of the environment
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Sustainable management of natural resources requires a long-term perspective to ensure availability for future generations. A short-term perspective is detrimental to conservation and resource longevity.

Multiple choice

Global warming is a major cause of concern these days all over the world. Which of the following efforts on the part of the people/governments can help all of us in reducing the effect of the same? Select the correct statement/s. (1) Increasing energy efficiency standards (2) Eliminating subsidies that encourage the use of coal and oil as subsidies makes them cheaper (3) Eliminating thick forest as they absorb the sunlight and thus the process of recirculation of fresh gases in the atmosphere

  1. Only 1

  2. Only 2

  3. Only 3

  4. Both 1 & 2

  5. All the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Increasing energy efficiency and eliminating subsidies for fossil fuels (coal/oil) are widely accepted strategies to combat global warming. Eliminating forests is counterproductive, as forests act as carbon sinks and help mitigate climate change.

Multiple choice

The scope for replacing petrol engines for cars by hybrid or flex engines is limited by

Directions: Read the given passage and answer the following question.

Combustion engines contribute to greenhouse gas accumulation in the atmosphere and are responsible for climate changes. A sane, sober revision of vehicle use is long overdue. While ethanol has been championed as an alternative to petroleum fuels, it mainly helps to reduce dependency on oil producing countries. Ethanol or methanol can be blended with petrol to reduce petroleum dependency. Petrol engines can use up to 10% ethanol without modification. New "flex" engines can use higher percentages of ethanol up to 100%. Hybrid flex-fuel vehicles are optimised to run on a maximum blend of 15% petrol with 85% ethanol (E85 fuel). The production of flex engine vehicles has increased, but the supply of flex fuel is limited.
There are problems in the bigger picture of carbon consumption and emission. When ethanol is made from corn, a lot of energy value must be spent on its production. While innovations in production technologies continue, there will be an ongoing requirement to invent new methods of production. Investment in new technologies will require government policy changes, subsidies and research grants. This will give rise to new competition between ethanol plants and food production.
If you are an optimist, you might argue that improved technologies will save the day --- corn yields per acre have been increasing mostly because of genetic engineering, so that food and ethanol production need not compete in the future. The ethanol industry uses only the carbohydrate fraction of the corn; the protein and oil fractions are used as animal feed to be consumed by humans as dairy products, eggs and meat. If you are a pessimist, you might point to the recurrent droughts in recent years and predict more crop failures in years to come. Other non-food vegetable sources of carbon will become alternative sources of raw materials.

  1. the proportion of flex that can be used in the blend

  2. lack of innovations in technology

  3. constraints in supply of flex fuel

  4. lack of subsidies and grants

  5. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

It is mentioned that the production of flex engine vehicles has increased, but the supply of flex fuel is limited.

Multiple choice

What is holding up innovations in production technologies?

Directions: Read the given passage and answer the following question.

Combustion engines contribute to greenhouse gas accumulation in the atmosphere and are responsible for climate changes. A sane, sober revision of vehicle use is long overdue. While ethanol has been championed as an alternative to petroleum fuels, it mainly helps to reduce dependency on oil producing countries. Ethanol or methanol can be blended with petrol to reduce petroleum dependency. Petrol engines can use up to 10% ethanol without modification. New "flex" engines can use higher percentages of ethanol up to 100%. Hybrid flex-fuel vehicles are optimised to run on a maximum blend of 15% petrol with 85% ethanol (E85 fuel). The production of flex engine vehicles has increased, but the supply of flex fuel is limited.
There are problems in the bigger picture of carbon consumption and emission. When ethanol is made from corn, a lot of energy value must be spent on its production. While innovations in production technologies continue, there will be an ongoing requirement to invent new methods of production. Investment in new technologies will require government policy changes, subsidies and research grants. This will give rise to new competition between ethanol plants and food production.
If you are an optimist, you might argue that improved technologies will save the day --- corn yields per acre have been increasing mostly because of genetic engineering, so that food and ethanol production need not compete in the future. The ethanol industry uses only the carbohydrate fraction of the corn; the protein and oil fractions are used as animal feed to be consumed by humans as dairy products, eggs and meat. If you are a pessimist, you might point to the recurrent droughts in recent years and predict more crop failures in years to come. Other non-food vegetable sources of carbon will become alternative sources of raw materials.

  1. Low energy value of ethanol

  2. Government policies

  3. Lack of private investment

  4. Competition between food and fuel

  5. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

"There will be an ongoing requirement to invent new methods of production. Investment in new technologies will require government policy changes, subsidies and research grants."

Multiple choice

The line, “There are problems in the bigger picture of carbon consumption and emission,” deplores

Directions: Read the given passage and answer the following question.

Combustion engines contribute to greenhouse gas accumulation in the atmosphere and are responsible for climate changes. A sane, sober revision of vehicle use is long overdue. While ethanol has been championed as an alternative to petroleum fuels, it mainly helps to reduce dependency on oil producing countries. Ethanol or methanol can be blended with petrol to reduce petroleum dependency. Petrol engines can use up to 10% ethanol without modification. New "flex" engines can use higher percentages of ethanol up to 100%. Hybrid flex-fuel vehicles are optimised to run on a maximum blend of 15% petrol with 85% ethanol (E85 fuel). The production of flex engine vehicles has increased, but the supply of flex fuel is limited.
There are problems in the bigger picture of carbon consumption and emission. When ethanol is made from corn, a lot of energy value must be spent on its production. While innovations in production technologies continue, there will be an ongoing requirement to invent new methods of production. Investment in new technologies will require government policy changes, subsidies and research grants. This will give rise to new competition between ethanol plants and food production.
If you are an optimist, you might argue that improved technologies will save the day --- corn yields per acre have been increasing mostly because of genetic engineering, so that food and ethanol production need not compete in the future. The ethanol industry uses only the carbohydrate fraction of the corn; the protein and oil fractions are used as animal feed to be consumed by humans as dairy products, eggs and meat. If you are a pessimist, you might point to the recurrent droughts in recent years and predict more crop failures in years to come. Other non-food vegetable sources of carbon will become alternative sources of raw materials.

  1. the non-dependability of oil producing countries

  2. the limited reserves of oil left worldwide

  3. the non-viability of ethanol production

  4. the energy value required to be spent on production of ethanol
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

It is mentioned in the next line that a lot of energy is required to produce ethanol.

Multiple choice

The concluding lines of the passage hint at

Directions: Read the given passage and answer the following question.

Combustion engines contribute to greenhouse gas accumulation in the atmosphere and are responsible for climate changes. A sane, sober revision of vehicle use is long overdue. While ethanol has been championed as an alternative to petroleum fuels, it mainly helps to reduce dependency on oil producing countries. Ethanol or methanol can be blended with petrol to reduce petroleum dependency. Petrol engines can use up to 10% ethanol without modification. New "flex" engines can use higher percentages of ethanol up to 100%. Hybrid flex-fuel vehicles are optimised to run on a maximum blend of 15% petrol with 85% ethanol (E85 fuel). The production of flex engine vehicles has increased, but the supply of flex fuel is limited.
There are problems in the bigger picture of carbon consumption and emission. When ethanol is made from corn, a lot of energy value must be spent on its production. While innovations in production technologies continue, there will be an ongoing requirement to invent new methods of production. Investment in new technologies will require government policy changes, subsidies and research grants. This will give rise to new competition between ethanol plants and food production.
If you are an optimist, you might argue that improved technologies will save the day --- corn yields per acre have been increasing mostly because of genetic engineering, so that food and ethanol production need not compete in the future. The ethanol industry uses only the carbohydrate fraction of the corn; the protein and oil fractions are used as animal feed to be consumed by humans as dairy products, eggs and meat. If you are a pessimist, you might point to the recurrent droughts in recent years and predict more crop failures in years to come. Other non-food vegetable sources of carbon will become alternative sources of raw materials.

  1. a possible confrontation between biofuels and biofoods

  2. hybrid fuels posing risk to environment

  3. apprehended limitations in consumption of biofuels

  4. vegetation falling victim to the insatiable demand for fuel

  5. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Note that the last sentence is about ‘non-food’ vegetable sources.

Multiple choice

Why do the United States and Britain show an allergic attitude whenever there is talk of moving away from fossil fuels?  

  1. Because information relating to the cost of shifting from fossil fuels to other energy sources is scarce and ambiguous

  2. Because it will prove to be very expensive to undertake such a huge change

  3. Because the risk of industrial restructuring can have major repercussions for the countries

  4. Because they have been not able to find a suitable substitute for fossil fuels

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

“(Resistance) is not difficult to understand in view of the paucity of empirical information as what the costs of industrial restructuring would be”.

Multiple choice

World’s non-renewable energy resources are being drained much too fast. To rectify the situation, China – world’s largest importer of non-renewable energy resources – must maintain its energy resources usage at present levels for considerable time in future.

The argument above depends on which of the following assumptions?

  1. Per capita energy resource usage in China is at an all-time high.

  2. China wastes non-renewable energy resources.

  3. China consumes more non-renewable energy resources than any other country in the world.

  4. Controlling Chinese non-renewable energy resource consumption will significantly reduce world non-renewable energy resource drainage.

  5. China imports most of the non-renewable energy resources it consumes.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The question expresses concern at the non-renewable energy resources of the entire world but suggests a solution with reference to China only. The only assumption in such a case would be that China’s consumption is significant enough by the world standards. Hence (5)