UPSC Editorials Quiz : 4 May 2024

Solution: c)

Re-globalization vs. de-globalisation:

Solution: c)

• World Ozone Day is celebrated on 16th September each year to commemorate the signing of the Montreal Protocol, an international environmental treaty for phasing out of production and consumption of Ozone Depleting Substances, that came into force on this day in 1987.
• Montreal Protocol and its amendmentsare successful in eliminating up to 99% of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) (long-lived man-made chemicals which destroy the protective ozone layer).
• India has been proactive in implementing the Montreal Protocol, phasing out harmful substances and achieving reductions.
• India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) to address refrigerant transition, energy efficiency, and technology advancement in cooling systems.

Solution: a)

Statement 2 is incorrect.

• In 2023, record-high temperatures were observed globally. Scientists attribute this unusual heat to various factors, including an underwater volcanic eruption off Tonga in the South Pacific in January 2022.
• While most volcanic eruptions typically cool the planetdue to sun-dimming particles, this eruption released a significant amount of water vapour and Sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere, a natural greenhouse gas that traps heat.
• The volcano is located in the Tonga island of the South Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Tonga–Kermadec Islands volcanic arcformed due to the subduction of the Pacific Plate under the Indo-Australian Plate.

Solution: c)

• Project ‘Mausam’ is a cultural initiative led by the Ministry of Culture and implemented by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi. It aims to showcase a Transnational Mixed Route (Natural and Cultural Heritage) on the World Heritage List. The project explores monsoon patterns, cultural routes, and maritime landscapes in the Indian Ocean region.
• Its goals include understanding the historical impact of monsoon winds on interactions, shared knowledge systems, and cultural exchanges among coastal centres.
• The project fosters cross-cultural linkages with 39 Indian Ocean countries and focuses on cultural routes and maritime landscapes connecting different parts of the Indian Ocean littoral.

Solution: a)

Only statement 1 is correct.

• Nipah is a zoonotic disease, primarily transmitted to humans through infected animals particularly bats or contaminated food,and it can also spread from person to person through close contact.
• Symptoms include fever, headache, cough, sore throat, difficulty in breathing, and vomiting, with severe cases potentially leading to encephalitis, coma, and death.
• The virus is primarily transmitted through consumption of contaminated food or direct contact with infected animals, particularly fruit bats.
• It is highly lethal, with mortality rates ranging from 40% to 75%.