Consider the following statements: Statement-I. The European Parliament approved The Net-Zero Industry Act recently. Statement-II. The European Union intends to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 and therefore aims to develop all of its own clean technology by that time. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

(a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I

(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I

(d) Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Prelims · Environment & ecology · 53 questions

Climate change & agreements

Every UPSC Prelims question on this topic, 2016–2026, newest first. Tap an option to check yourself; the answer and explanation open below it.

Asked in 11 of 11 years · most in 2016 (6)

UPSC syllabus: “General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization.” See the full syllabus →

Prelims 2024 · Q16

Medium

One of the following regions has the world's largest tropical peatland, which holds about three years worth of global carbon emissions from fossil fuels; and the possible destruction of which can exert detrimental effect on the global climate. Which one of the following denotes that region?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) Congo Basin

The Cuvette Centrale peatlands of the Congo Basin, spread across the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, form the world's largest tropical peatland. They lock away carbon equal to about three years of global greenhouse gas emissions, which would be released if the peat were drained or degraded.

✓ (b) The Congo Basin peat swamp forest stores around 29 billion tonnes of carbon, roughly three years of global emissions; the 2018 Brazzaville Declaration was signed to protect it.
✗ (a) The Amazon has peatlands too, but the single largest tropical peatland complex is the Congo Basin's Cuvette Centrale.
✗ (c) The Kikori Basin is a river basin in Papua New Guinea, rich in forest but not the world's largest tropical peatland.

Remember · Cuvette Centrale, Congo Basin: world's largest tropical peatland, ~29 billion tonnes of carbon ≈ three years of global emissions; Brazzaville Declaration (2018).

Sources

UNEP press release: Historic agreement signed to protect the world's largest tropical peatland ↗ “There is a lot at stake in the protection of these peatlands: the equivalent of three years of global greenhouse gas emissions are stored in the Congo Basin, emissions that could be released if the peatlands are degraded or the natural wetlands drained.”
UNEP story: Critical ecosystems — Congo Basin peatlands ↗ “The peat swamp forest of the Congo Basin stores around 29 billion tons of carbon – approximately equivalent to three years’ worth of global greenhouse gas emissions”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2024, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2024 · Q26

Medium

Which one of the following is the correct description of "100 Million Farmers"?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) It is a platform for accelerating the transition towards food and water systems that are net-zero (carbon), nature-positive and that aims to increase farmer resilience.

100 Million Farmers is a World Economic Forum platform, launched in 2021, that brings companies, governments, farmer groups and financiers together to shift food and water systems to net-zero, nature-positive farming by 2030 while making farmers more resilient. The name refers to its goal of reaching 100 million farmers.

✓ (a) The WEF describes it as a multi-stakeholder platform for net-zero, nature-positive food systems by 2030 that backs local solutions, farmer incentives and resilience, including through regenerative and climate-smart practices.
✗ (b) An international network devoted to organic animal husbandry is a different body; 100 Million Farmers deals with climate and nature outcomes across farming, not organic livestock specifically.
✗ (d) Organising farmers into producer organisations for market access is a common policy tool, but it is not the purpose of this WEF climate-and-nature platform.

Remember · 100 Million Farmers = World Economic Forum platform (2021) for net-zero, nature-positive food and water systems and farmer resilience by 2030.

Sources

World Economic Forum: 100 Million Farmers, Breakthrough Models for Financing a Sustainability Transition (Insight Report, January 2024) ↗ · reference work “This implementation is part of the 100 Million Farmers platform, which accelerates sustainable agri-food practices and supports private and public sector leaders in collective action efforts that position food and farmers as central pillars of the global climate and nature agenda.”
Sustainability Magazine: 100 Million Farmers, the move to net-zero (2 May 2021) ↗ · reference work “The World Economic Forum has announced 100 Million Farmers, a platform moving towards “ Net-zero and nature-positive food systems by 2030 , ” which encourages “local solutions” as well as empowering farmers.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2024, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2024 · Q46

Medium

Consider the following materials:

1.Agricultural residues
2.Corn grain
3.Wastewater treatment sludge
4.Wood mill waste

Which of the above can be used as feedstock for producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Sustainable Aviation Fuel is made from renewable, non-petroleum feedstocks, and the US Department of Energy's list of them names all four materials: agricultural residues, corn grain, wet waste such as wastewater treatment sludge, and wood mill waste.

✓ 1. Agricultural residues are named on the DOE list of SAF feedstocks. They are a typical waste-based biomass source.
✓ 2. Corn grain is also on the list. It is a starch crop, which is why it feeds ethanol-based routes to jet fuel. ICAO's India study notes that maize supplies part of India's ethanol, and that ethanol can be turned into jet fuel by the alcohol-to-jet route.
✓ 3. Wet wastes, specifically manures and wastewater treatment sludge, are listed as feedstocks. ICAO's India study also mentions sewage sludge as a wet waste that can be turned into biocrude for SAF.
✓ 4. Wood mill waste is on the list. ICAO's India study lists sawdust and bark from sawmills among forest-based SAF feedstocks.

Remember · SAF feedstocks are broad: crops such as corn, crop and forest residues, wood mill waste, municipal solid waste, wet waste such as sludge, and fats, oils and greases.

Sources

US Department of Energy (BETO), Sustainable Aviation Fuel: Reducing Emissions from Commercial Flight ↗ “These resources include corn grain; oil seeds; algae; other fats, oils, and greases; agricultural residues; forest harvesting residues; wood mill waste; municipal solid waste streams; wet wastes (manures, wastewater treatment sludge); and dedicated energy crops.”
US Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center: Sustainable Aviation Fuel ↗ “SAF can be produced from non-petroleum-based renewable feedstocks including, but not limited to, the food and yard waste portion of municipal solid waste, woody biomass, fats/greases/oils, and other feedstocks.”
ICAO (ACT-SAF), Feasibility Study on the Use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels in India (copy of the ICAO PDF) ↗ “Other types of residues include sawdust and bark generated at sawmills, tall oil, and black liquor from kraft pulping. … through hydrothermal liquefaction of wet wastes such as sewage sludge. … Sugarcane provides most ethanol production, with the remainder from food grains such as maize and surplus rice stocks determined by the Food Corporation of India.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2024, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2024 · Q96

Medium

Consider the following statements:

Statement-I: The European Parliament approved The Net-Zero Industry Act recently.
Statement-II: The European Union intends to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 and therefore aims to develop all of its own clean technology by that time.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect

Statement-I is correct: the European Parliament approved the Net-Zero Industry Act on 25 April 2024. Statement-II is wrong on two counts. The EU's goal is net-zero emissions by 2050, not 2040, and the Act aims for the EU to produce about 40% of its own annual needs for net-zero technologies by 2030, not all of them.

✓ Statement-I The European Parliament adopted the Act on 25 April 2024 by 361 votes to 121, with 45 abstentions. At that stage the Council still had to adopt it formally for it to become law.
✗ Statement-II The EU's climate target is a 55% cut in net emissions by 2030 and net-zero by 2050. The Act sets a target of 40% of annual deployment needs for net-zero technologies to be produced in Europe by 2030. It does not aim at making all clean technology in the EU.

Remember · EU Net-Zero Industry Act (Parliament vote 25 April 2024): target 40% of annual deployment needs of net-zero technologies made in the EU by 2030; EU climate neutrality target is 2050.

Sources

MEPs adopt plans to boost Europe's Net-Zero technology production (European Parliament press release, 25 April 2024) ↗ “On Thursday, Parliament approved the Net-Zero industry Act to bolster EU production in technologies needed for decarbonisation. … sets a target for Europe to produce 40% of its annual deployment needs in net-zero technologies by 2030”
Net Zero Industry Act: boosting clean technologies in Europe (European Parliament) ↗ “In 2030 net greenhouse gas emissions must be down by 55 percent as compared to 1990 levels, while by 2050, net emissions must come down to zero.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2024, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

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