[MISSION 2024] RTM(Revision through MCQs)- 5 November 2023

Ans: (a)

Explanation: What is Atal Tinkering Labs?

• An Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) is part of the Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, and is established in schools across India. The objective of ATLs is to nurture creativity, curiosity, and skills like design mindset, computational thinking, adaptive learning, and physical computing in young minds.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/11/04/innovation-ecosystem-in-india-challenges-and-solutions/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• “…To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot, a region must meet two strict criteria:
• It must have at least 1,500 vascular plants as endemics — which is to say, it must have a high percentage of plant life found nowhere else on the planet. A hotspot, in other words, is irreplaceable.
• It must have 30% or less of its original natural vegetation. In other words, it must be threatened.
• Around the world, 35 areas qualify as hotspots. They represent just 2.3% of Earth’s land surface, but they support more than half of the world’s plant species as endemics — i.e., species found no place else — and nearly 43% of bird, mammal, reptile and amphibian species as endemics…”

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/11/04/biosphere-reserves-pockets-of-hope/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• S1: Gulf of Mannar lies between the west coast of Sri Lanka and the southeastern tip of India, in the Coromandel Coast region.
• S2: The Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve was declared in January 2013. It incorporates two National parks of India, which were gazetted in 1992: the larger Campbell Bay National Park on the northern part of the island, and Galathea National Park in the southern interior.
• S3: The Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve also incorporates territories and traditional lands of the indigenous Nicobarese and Shompen peoples.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/11/04/biosphere-reserves-pockets-of-hope/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• The Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve (GOMBR) area extends from Rameswaram to Tuticorin. It comprises 21 Islands and this is the first Indian marine national park which is internationally recognised under the UNESCO-MAB programme. The IUCN commission on national parks and WWF identified the reserve as an area of particular concern because of its richest biodiversity and multiple use of the area. The GOMBR is the first marine Biosphere in India.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/11/04/biosphere-reserves-pockets-of-hope/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• 11 of the eighteen biosphere reserves are a part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, based on the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme list.
• Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka 2000
• Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Tamil Nadu 2001
• Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve West Bengal 2001
• Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve Uttarakhand 2004
• Nokrek Biosphere Reserve Meghalaya 2009
• Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve Madhya Pradesh 2009
• Simlipal Biosphere Reserve Odisha    2009
• Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve Great Nicobar 2013
• Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh 2012
• Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve Kerala and Tamil Nadu 2016
• Khangchendzonga National Park Sikkim 2018

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/11/04/biosphere-reserves-pockets-of-hope/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB):
• The idea of the biosphere reserve was initiated by UNESCO in 1974 under the MAB with the objective of obtaining international cooperation for the conservation of the biospheres.
• Launched in 1971, UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) is an Intergovernmental Scientific Programme that aims to establish a scientific basis for the improvement of relationships between people and their environments.
• MAB combines the natural and social sciences, economics and education to improve human livelihoods and the equitable sharing of benefits, and to safeguard natural and managed ecosystems.
• Under this, Protection is granted not only to the flora and fauna of the protected region, but also to the human communities who inhabit these regions, and their ways of life.
• The first of India’s reserves to make it to UNESCO’s list was Tamil Nadu’s Niligiri Biosphere Reserve in 2000.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/11/04/biosphere-reserves-pockets-of-hope/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with significant levels of biodiversity that is threatened by human habitation.
• To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot, a region must meet two strict criteria:
• It must have at least 1,500 vascular plants as endemics— which is to say, it must have a high percentage of plant life found nowhere else on the planet. A hotspot, in other words, is irreplaceable.
• It must have 30% or less of its original natural vegetation. In other words, it must be threatened.
• Around the world, 36 areas qualify as hotspots.
• India hosts 4 biodiversity hotspots: the Himalayas, the Western Ghats, the Indo-​Burma region and the Sundaland (Includes Nicobar group of Islands).

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/11/04/biosphere-reserves-pockets-of-hope/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Context: Two scientists in northeastern France discovered a substantial deposit of “white hydrogen,“ considered one of the largest concentrations of this clean energy source ever found.
• What is White Hydrogen?
  • White hydrogen is a clean-burning energy source found naturally in the Earth’s crust. It is Natural hydrogen and is found as naturally occurring molecular hydrogen on or on Earth. The name white hydrogen distinguishes it from green hydrogen (produced from renewable energy sources from the electrolysis of water), and from grey, brown or black hydrogen, (which is obtained from fossil sources)

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/11/04/white-hydrogen/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Only statement1 is correct.
• “National Efficient Cooking Programme” (NECP) is a subset of the Clean Cooking Scheme. NECP focuses on Non-Solar/Electricity-based Induction Cookstoves, aligning with the Go- electric initiative by the Ministry of Power.
• Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), operating under the Ministry of Power, is a leading Energy Service Company. Their portfolio encompasses energy-efficient products like LED bulbs, tube lights, fans, air conditioners, streetlights, and electric vehicles. EESL’s transparent procurement processes, overseen by CVC, have enabled them to distribute millions of these products, resulting in substantial energy savings, reduced peak demand, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/11/04/necp-and-eefp-launched-by-eesl/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Context: Adaptation Gap Report 2023 released by the United Nations Environment Programme
• What is an Adaptation Gap?
  • The Adaptation Gap is the difference between the funds needed to adapt to climate change in countries (generally developing and least developed countries) and the actual financial support received. For instance, developing countries require $215-387 billion annually for climate adaptation, but they are only receiving about $21 billion.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/11/04/2023-adaptation-gap-report/