UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : Environment and Geography MCQs on glacial lakes, Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions and more (Week 126)

QUESTION 1

What is the correct order (low to high) in terms of expanding lakes as per the report by the Central Water Commission (CWC)?

1. Uttarakhand

2. Jammu and Kashmir

3. Arunachal Pradesh

4. Ladakh

5. Sikkim

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1—5—2—4—3

(b) 5—4—3—2—1

(c) 4—5—2—3—1

(d) 3—4—5—1—2

Explanation

— More than 400 glacial lakes within India are showing worrying expansion trends and demand vigorous monitoring for disaster purposes, the Central Water Commission (CWC) has revealed in its latest monitoring report.

— In the monthly monitoring report of Glacial Lakes and Water Bodies for June 2025 which was recently made public, the CWC said 432 glacial lakes spread across Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh have been flagged for vigorous monitoring because of their potential to unleash sudden and destructive floods.

— Arunachal Pradesh accounts for the highest number of expanding lakes (197), followed by Ladakh (120), Jammu and Kashmir (57), Sikkim (47), Himachal Pradesh (6) and Uttarakhand (5).

— Overall, the Himalayan region saw 1,435 glacial lakes expand in June 2025.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

With reference to the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions (BBNJ), consider the following statements:

1. It deals with activities in international waters which seek to curb pollution, and excessive resource extraction, while promoting efforts for sustainable use of biodiversity and other marine resources.

2. It is also known as the High Seas Treaty.

3. The treaty would serve as a legally binding international instrument under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

— India will enact a new law to safeguard its interests in the international ocean waters following the finalisation of the High Seas Treaty two years ago.

— The Ministry of Earth Sciences has set up a 12-member drafting committee headed by Supreme Court Senior Advocate Sanjay Upadhyay, one of the leading environment lawyers in the country, to prepare the contours of the new law in accordance with the provisions of the new treaty.

— The High Seas Treaty, also known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions (BBNJ), because it deals with activities in international waters, seeks to curb pollution, and excessive resource extraction, while promoting efforts for sustainable use of biodiversity and other marine resources. One of the consequences of the new treaty would be the demarcation of protected areas in high seas, similar to national parks or wildlife reserves. High seas are regions beyond the territorial waters and the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of a nation. Hence, statements 1 and 2 are correct.

— These international waters, which constitute about 64 per cent of ocean areas, are considered global commons and are currently free for any kind of activity by any country. Every country enjoys equal rights for navigation, overflight, fishing, setting up infrastructure like undersea cables, and even mineral extraction.

— The treaty would serve as a legally binding international instrument under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which is a much broader agreement that extends to all oceans and defines the rights and duties of countries in their use of oceans and their resources. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— India has signed on to the BBNJ but has not yet ratified it. So far, 55 countries have ratified the treaty, which is slated to come into force 120 days after ratification by the 60th country. Enactment of a law is not necessary for ratification. India’s move to go in for legislation is aimed at preparing itself to make productive use of the new treaty. The treaty would place certain obligations on countries, for example, in conducting marine impact assessments ahead of undertaking any major project in the seas. Such activities would require institutional capabilities to be built. Making use of the economic benefit-sharing provisions would also need elaborate expertise.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

With reference to the guidelines about fishing vessels, consider the following statements:

1. No Indian-flagged fishing vessel shall engage in fishing or fishing-related activities in the High Seas without a valid LOA (Letter of Authorisation) issued by the Issuing Authority under these guidelines.

2. The validity of the LOA shall be for a period of one year from the date of issuance.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying recently released draft rules and guidelines to enable “sustainable” fishing in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the High Seas.

— India’s coast stretches 8,118 km, and has 1,457 landing centres and 3,461 fishing villages. India boasts an EEZ of 2 million sq km which has an estimated annual potential of 5.31 million metric tons for “capture fisheries” (harvesting of wild fish and seafood), according to data from the Department of Fisheries.

— As per the guidelines, “No Indian-flagged fishing vessel shall engage in fishing or fishing-related activities in the High Seas without a valid LOA (Letter of Authorisation) issued by the Issuing Authority under these guidelines.” Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The validity of the LOA shall be for a period of three years from the date of issuance. The guidelines prohibit illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— “Indian-flagged fishing vessels shall comply with applicable conservation and management measures of the concerned RFMO (Regional Fisheries Management Organisation), including catch limits, gear restrictions, bycatch mitigation, Fish Aggregation Devices (FADs) management, voyage reporting, etc., to ensure sustainable fishing,” the guidelines state.

— The guidelines also envisage programs “to provide training and capacity-building of traditional and small-scale fishers to enhance skills for High Seas fishing and value-chain efficiencies.”

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

Consider the following statements about Miombo woodland:

1. It is a forest ecosystem found in a temperate region.

2. It comprises grasslands, bushlands, and savannahs.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— The Miombo biome comprises tropical and subtropical grasslands, bushlands, and savannahs. Hence, statement 1 is not correct and statement 2 is correct.

— Miombo woodland is a huge African dryland forest ecosystem spanning almost 2.7 million square kilometres in southern Africa, encompassing Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

(Source: downtoearth.org.in)

QUESTION 5

With reference to the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), consider the following statements:

1. It provides comprehensive insurance against natural calamities, pests, and diseases.

2. Punjab was the first state to implement the scheme in 2016.

3. Farmers pay a nominal premium — 2% for Kharif crops, 1.5% for Rabi crops and 5% for horticultural and commercial crops.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— With Punjab witnessing heavy rains and floods in recent days, farmers in the agrarian state have raised concerns about crop losses, and many have called for an official crop insurance policy.

— The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), introduced by the Centre in 2016, provides comprehensive insurance against natural calamities, pests, and diseases. Farmers pay a nominal premium — 2% for Kharif crops (sown during monsoon months), 1.5% for Rabi crops (winter months), and 5% for horticultural and commercial crops — while the Centre and the state share the remaining cost. Hence, statements 1 and 3 are correct.

— However, Punjab has never implemented this scheme, citing the financial burden on the state exchequer and concerns about transparency in claim settlements. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The government also argued that with 99% irrigation coverage in the state (compared to around 55 per cent at the all-India level), its risk level was far lower than in drought-prone regions, making high premium contributions unjustifiable. The state also objected to PMFBY’s cluster-based model, which clubs irrigated and rain-fed areas together, raising premiums for Punjab farmers as a whole.

— In 2020, the PMFBY was revamped to make enrollment voluntary, introduce flexibility for states in calculating the sum insured, enforce strict timelines for premium release, and mandate multi-year contracts with insurers. Punjab still chose to stay away from it, maintaining that it needed a state-specific model instead.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 124)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 126)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 126)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 126)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 125)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 125)

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