UPSC PRELIMS 2026 | Daily subject-wise quiz (Week 139) : International Relations MCQs on Global Environment Outlook, RESourceEU initiative and more

QUESTION 1

Consider the following statements about the Global Environment Outlook (GEO):

1. It is the flagship assessment of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

2. Its findings guide future environmental policies and strategies — helping countries take informed action toward sustainability.

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 Global Environment Outlook (GEO) is the most comprehensive scientific evaluation of the global environment to date. The GEO-7 includes the voices of 287 experts from 82 nations, as well as contributions from over 800 reviewers around the world. For the first time, Indigenous Peoples and traditional knowledge bearers from around the world contributed to the report’s development through a series of discussions in Mexico, Thailand, and online. Their expertise and experience, which stem from a strong connection with nature, supplement scientific facts and provide vital insights into resilience, stewardship, and environmentally friendly living.

— The United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) flagship assessment, the Global Environment Outlook (GEO), is a major scientific report that reviews the planet’s environmental health, policy effectiveness, and future trends, providing crucial, participatory, science-based data to guide global environmental action and policy. Hence, statement 1 is not correct

— The resolution on the future of the Global Environment Outlook (GEO), which launched the GEO-7 process, was passed by Member States in March 2022, and the GEO-7 will be published in December 2025.

— Its findings will guide future environmental policies and plans, allowing governments to take educated steps towards sustainability. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

(Source: http://www.unep.org)

QUESTION 2

The RESourceEU initiative is related to:

(a) Europe’s plan to accelerate and amplify its efforts to secure the supply of critical raw materials

(b) developing a unified EU platform to monitor resource efficiency and circular-economy performance across member states

(c) supporting industries in reducing waste generation by promoting eco-design and sustainable production methods

(d) advancing EU-wide programmes aimed at improving recycling technologies and boosting material recovery rates

Explanation

— The seventh AU–EU Summit in Luanda unfolded at a moment when global governance is undergoing a subtle but significant transformation, and when Africa–Europe relations are being reframed by forces far larger than bilateral diplomacy.

— Energy and climate action formed another pillar of the summit. Africa’s need for reliable, affordable energy is enormous; Europe’s need for green partnerships is equally urgent.

— The cooperation on critical minerals was perhaps the most geopolitically charged element of the summit. Through the RESourceEU initiative, Europe seeks a reliable, ethically sourced supply of cobalt, lithium, rare earths and other minerals necessary for electric vehicles, batteries and renewable-energy technologies. Africa, home to 30–40 per cent of the world’s critical mineral reserves, sees an opportunity to break with the historical pattern of exporting raw materials and importing finished products.

— The European Commission has adopted the RESourceEU Action Plan to accelerate and amplify its efforts to secure the EU’s supply of critical raw materials, such as rare earth elements, cobalt or lithium.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

With reference to the International Year of the Woman Farmer, consider the following statements:

1. The Food and Agriculture Organisation has designated the year 2025 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer.

2. It is a global campaign aimed at recognising women’s indispensable yet often overlooked contributions to global agrifood systems.

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 Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) launched the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, a global campaign aimed at recognising women’s indispensable but often overlooked contributions to global agrifood systems and galvanising efforts to close persistent gender gaps. Hence, statement 1 is not correct and statement 2 is correct.

— The UN General Assembly designated 2024 as the International Year of Women Farmers, with the goal of highlighting the reality faced by women farmers and driving policy reforms and investment to advance gender equality, empower women, and build more resilient agrifood systems. The FAO, along with the two Rome-based UN agencies, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP), will coordinate activities through 2026.

— Women account for a sizable proportion of the global agricultural workforce and are essential across agrifood value chains — from production and processing to distribution and trade — playing a critical role in domestic food security and nutrition. In 2021, agrifood systems employed 40% of working women globally, virtually equalling men.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

(Source: http://www.fao.org)

QUESTION 4

The port town of ‘Pevek’ was in the news. It is located in:

(a) Ukraine

(b) Portugal

(c) Iceland

(d) Russia

Explanation

— Russia has a lead in the nascent field of SMRs, which are advanced nuclear reactors that have about a third of the generating capacity of most traditional nuclear power reactors but can produce a large amount of low-carbon electricity.

— Currently, two SMR projects have reached the operational stage globally, with an SMR named the ‘Akademik Lomonosov floating power unit’ that has two-modules of 35 MWe (megawatt electric) and started commercial operation in May 2020.

— The Lomonosov is a non-self-propelled power barge that doubles up as a floating nuclear power station and is docked in the Pevek harbour, providing heating for the Arctic port town of Pevek and supplying electricity to the regional Chaun-Bilibino power system. It is designated as the world’s northernmost nuclear power plant.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

The Chernobyl nuclear disaster site is located in:

(a) Japan

(b) Russia

(c) Ukraine

(d) China

Explanation

— The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has stated that the protective shield surrounding the Chernobyl nuclear accident site in Ukraine has stopped working after being destroyed by drone strikes in February.

(Photo: Reuters)

— The UN Nuclear Watchdog stated that the radiation shield has “lost its primary safety functions, including the confinement capability.”

— According to the IAEA, which inspected the steel confinement structure last week, the drone collision damaged the structure.

— The New Safe Confinement (NSC) at Chernobyl was built in 2019 to replace the reactor destroyed during the plant’s 1986 meltdown, which resulted in the world’s greatest nuclear disaster to date.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 134)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 139)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 139)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 139)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 139)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 138)

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