Climate Change & Conventions

The Common Carbon Metric (CCM) is a protocol developed by the United Nations Environment Program's Sustainable Buildings & Climate Initiative (UNEP-SBCI) for measuring energy use and reporting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from building operations. Its purpose is to support GHG emissions reductions through accurate measurement of energy efficiency. It is a universal method of measuring a building's carbon footprint and allows emissions from buildings around the world to be consistently assessed and compared. Therefore, it is used for assessing the carbon footprint of building operations around the world.

Statement 1 is correct. The Climate-Smart Village (CSV) approach is an initiative under the CCAFS program, which focuses on improving climate resilience in agriculture through research and innovation. CCAFS operates in multiple countries, including India, and works on sustainable farming practices, resource efficiency, and climate adaptation strategies in rural areas. Statement 2 is correct. CCAFS is a global research initiative under the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), which is a network of international agricultural research organizations. However, CGIAR’s global headquarters is in Montpellier, France, making the statement factually accurate. Statement 3 is correct. ICRISAT, based in Hyderabad, India, is a major research institute focusing on improving dryland agriculture. It is indeed one of the CGIAR’s 15 global research centers, working on climate resilience, crop improvement, and food security in semi-arid regions.

"Blue Carbon" designates carbon that is fixed via coastal ocean ecosystems , rather than traditional land ecosystems, like forests . Although the ocean's vegetated habitats cover less than 0.5% of the seabed, they are responsible for more than 50%, and potentially up to 70%, of all carbon storage in ocean sediments.

The term 'Social Cost of Carbon' is a measure of the economic damages, in dollars, that would result from emitting one additional ton of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. It is used to value the climate impacts of rulemakings and helps policymakers understand the economic impacts of decisions that would increase or decrease emissions. Therefore, it is best described as the long-term damage done by a tonne of carbon dioxide emissions in a given year.

Statement 1 is correct: Zero tillage is a method of farming that involves sowing crop seeds directly into the soil without disturbing it. This method has several advantages.
In zero tillage, the residue of the previous crop is left on the field, which acts as a natural mulch, reducing soil erosion and improving soil fertility. Therefore, there is no need to burn the residue of the previous crop before sowing wheat. Statement 2 is correct: In zero tillage, seeds are directly planted into the soil, eliminating the need for a nursery of rice saplings. This not only saves time and labor but also reduces the cost of cultivation. Statement 3 is correct: Carbon sequestration refers to the process of capture and long-term storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide. In zero tillage, the carbon in the crop residue is returned to the soil, which helps in carbon sequestration. Therefore, all three statements are correct.

Pair 1 is correctly matched. Alma Ata Declaration: The Declaration of Alma-Ata was adopted at the International Conference on Primary Health Care, Almaty, Kazakhstan, 612 September 1978. It expressed the need for urgent action by all governments, all health and development workers, and the world community to protect and promote the health of all people. Pair 2 is not correctly matched. Hague Convention: The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction or Hague Abduction Convention is a multilateral treaty developed by the Hague Conference on Private International Law that provides an expeditious method to return a child internationally abducted by a parent from one member country to another. Pair 3 is correctly matched. The Talanoa Dialogue is a process designed to help countries implement and enhance their Nationally Determined Contributions by 2020. The Dialogue was mandated by the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change to take stock of the collective global efforts to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases, in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement. Pair 4 is not correctly matched. The Under2 Coalition is a global community of state and regional governments committed to ambitious climate action in line with the Paris Agreement. The coalition brings together more than 220 governments that represent over 1.3 billion people and 43% of the global economy. Signatories commit to keeping global temperature rises to well below 2C with efforts to reach 1.5C.

Statement 1 is correct: Global warming poses a significant threat to methane hydrate deposits. These icy structures, found in permafrost and deep-sea sediments, can destabilize as temperatures rise, releasing methane into the atmosphere. Since methane is a potent greenhouse gas its release could create a positive feedback loop, further accelerating global warming. Statement 2 is correct: Large deposits of methane hydrate are primarily found in two locations:
1. Arctic Tundra: Permafrost soils in the Arctic hold significant methane hydrate reserves, which are at risk of melting due to rising temperatures.
2. Seafloor Deposits: Continental margins and deep ocean sediments contain vast methane hydrate reserves. Changes in ocean temperature and pressure fluctuations can trigger their release. Statement 3 is correct: After about 12 years, the methane is converted into carbon dioxide through hydroxyl oxidation. While CO₂ is a less potent greenhouse gas than methane, its longer atmospheric lifetime means it continues contributing to long-term climate change. Therefore, option (D) 1, 2 and 3 is correct.

Statement 1 is not Correct. The protocol against the smuggling of Migrants by land, sea and air comes under the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and not UNCAC. Statement 2 is Correct. The United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) is the law binding universal anti-corruption instrument. Statement 3 is not Correct. United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) includes "Returning
Assets to their rightful owners from whom they have been taken illicitly". Statement 4 is Correct. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is mandated by its Member States to assist in the implementation of both Conventions,such as UNCAC and UNTOC, along with the IJN Drug Conventions of 1961, 1971 and 1988 underpin all the operational work of UNODC. _Note: An easy way to solve this question is to read all the options properly. On reading, we understand that Corruption would include elements like ‘Returning of assets’ & Transnational Organized Crime would include ‘Smuggling’ (Conceptual Understanding). In the above question, the elements of Statements 1 & 3 are inter-changed making them outrightly incorrect._

* Cirrus clouds do not reflect a lot of solar radiation into space. As they form at high altitudes and cold temperatures, they trap long-wave radiation and have a climate impact similar to greenhouse gases. Thus, thinning cirrus clouds would reduce the absorption of infrared radiation and are proposed as a form of climate engineering to reduce global warming. * Another proposed Geo-engineering technique involves injecting reflective sulphate aerosol particles into Earth's lower stratosphere to cast a small proportion of the inbound sunlight back into space and cool the planet off. Thus, both are climate engineering/ Geo-engineering techniques to reduce global warming.

Statement 1 is incorrect. GACSA was launched in 2014 at the UN Climate Summit in New York, not at the Paris Climate Summit in 2015. Statement 2 is correct. GACSA is a voluntary partnership, and membership does not create any legally binding obligations for its members. Statement 3 is incorrect. GACSA was launched by the Netherlands and several other countries, but India was not among the founding members or instrumental in its creation.