NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Political Science Chapter

8 Environment and Natural Resources

TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS SOLVED
1.Which among the following best explains
the reason for growing concerns about
the environment?
(a) The developed countries are concerned about projecting nature.
(b) Protection of the environment is vital for indigenous people and natural
habitats.
(c) The environmental degradation caused by human activities has become
pervasive and has reached a dangerous level.
(d) None of the above.
Answer. (c) The environmental degradation caused by human activities has
become persuasive and has reached a dangerous level.
2. Mark correct or wrong against each of the following statements about the
Earth Summit:
(a) It was attended by 170 countries, thousands of NGOs and many MNCs.
(b) The Summit was held under aegis of the UN.
(c) For the first time, global environmen¬tal issues were firmly consolidated
at the political level.
(d) It was a summit meeting.
Answer. (a) Correct (b) Wrong
(c) Correct (d) Wrong
3. Which among the following are true about the Global Commons?
(a) The earth’s atmosphere, Antarctica, ocean floor and outer space are
considered as part of the Global Commons.
(b) The Global Commons are outside sovereign jurisdiction.
(c) The question of managing the Global Commons has reflected the North-
South divide.
(d) The countries of the North are more concerned about the protection of
the global Commons than the countries of the South.
Answer. (a) The Earth’s atmosphere, Antarctica, ocean floor and outer space
are considered as a part of global commons.
4. What were the outcomes of Rio-Summit?
Answer. 1. Rio-Summit produced conventions dealing with climate change,
biodiversity, forestry and recommended a list of development practices
called Agenda 21.
2. It gave the concept of sustainable development to be combined economic
growth with ecological responsibility.
3. Rio-Summit developed various contentious issues like Commons, Global
Commons in global politics of environment.
5. What is meant by Global Commons? How are they exploited and
polluted?
Answer. The areas or regions located outside the jurisdiction of any one
state and region, common governance by international community are
Global Commons i.e. Earth atmosphere, Antarctic Ocean floor and outer
space. They are exploited and polluted due to
1. Vague scientific evidences, their lack of consensus on common
environmental issues.
2. North-South inequalities and their exploitative activities and competition
lack proper management area out space.
3. Technological and Industrial development have also affected the earth’s
atmosphere and ocean floor.
6. What is meant by ‘Common but differentiated responsibilities’? How could
we implement the idea?
Answer. Common but differentiated responsibili¬ties mean that the state
shall cooperate in the spirit of global partnership to conserve, protect and
restore the health and integrity of the earth’s ecosystem. As the states have
common but differ¬entiated responsibilities over various contributions of
global environmental degradation. The developed countries acknowledge
that the responsibility that they bear in the international pursuit of
sustainable development in view of the pressures their societies place on the
global environment and of the tech-nological and financial resources they
command.
We could implement the idea with the help of conventions and declarations:
1. The Rio-Summit held in June 1992 produced conventions dealing with
climate change, biodiversity, forestry and recommended a list of developed
practices called Agenda 21.
2. The 1992 United Nations Framework convention on climatic change
(UNFCCC) also emphasised that the parties should act to protect the climate
system on the basis of common but differentiated responsibilities;
3. An international agreement known Kyoto Protocol set targets for
industrialised countries to cut their greenhouse gas emissions which support
for global warming.
7. Why have issues related to global environmental protection become the
priority concern of states since the 1990s?
Answer. Issues related to global environmental protection became the
priority concern of states since the 1990s because at global level, the
environmental issues drew attentions of various states at the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio-de-Janerio, Brazil
in June 1992 through Agenda 21:
1. Rio-Summit 1992 dealt with climatic change, bio-diversity and forestry.
2. Agenda 21 combined economic growth with ecological responsibilities.
3. Kyoto Protocol set targets for greenhouse emissions. The above
mentioned conferences and summits raised the environmental issues at the
global level to take steps by various states to check environmental
degradation in a co-operative manner.
8. Compromise and accommodation are the two essential policies required
by states to save Planet Earth. Substantiate the statement in the light of the
ongoing negotiations between the North and South on environmental
issues.
Answer. Compromise and accommodation are the two essential policies to
save Planet Earth by the states but the states from North and South have
different notions towards environmental issues:
1. The Northern States (Developed) are concerned with ozone depletion and
global warming whereas southern states (Developing) want to address the
relationship between economic development and environmental
management.
2. The developed countries of the North want to discuss the environmental
issues which stand equally responsible for ecological conservation.
3. The developing countries of the south feel that much of the ecological
degradation in the world is created by developed countries through their
industrial projects.
4. And if developed countries cause more environmental degradation they
are supposed to take more responsibility onwards.
5. The developing counties are under process of industrialization and they
should be exempted from restrictions imposed on developed countries
through various conventions like protocol etc.
6. The special needs of developing coun¬tries must be taken into
consider¬ations in the process of development, application and
interpretation of rules of International Environmental Law.
All the above mentioned provisions were accepted in Earth Summit, 1992
while adopting common but differentiated responsibilities.
9. The most serious challenge before the states is pursuing economic
development without causing further damage to the global environment.
How could we achieve this? Explain with a few examples.
Answer. The economic development can be achieved even without
damaging global environment by following practices:
1. In June 1992, Earth Summit provided some conservative measures for
sustainable growth without damaging environment anymore.
2. The Antarctic Treaty of 1959 covered Global Commons for mutual
economic development.
3. Kyoto protocol cut greenhouse emissions from industrialised countries to
protect environment and to develop industries also.
4. Resource Geopolitics allocates and ‘ distribute natural resources among
the nation states of global arena for sustainable development of nations.
Hence, the above mentioned practices protect the global environment and
even though the states are developing we could achieve this challenge only
if we follow the provisions and practices mentioned in all these conferences
and summits.
MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED
Very Short Answer Type Questions [ 1 Mark]
1. What does the UNEP stand for?
Answer. UNEP stands for the United Nations Environment Programme to
hold international conferences to promote coordination to effective
response to environmental problems.
2. What is Agenda 21?
Answer. Agenda 21 is a list of developed practices ecological responsibility
to promote sustainable development.
3. What do you mean by Global Commons?
Answer. Global Commons are the common governance by international
community over the areas or regions which are located outside the
sovereign jurisdiction of any one state or authority.
4. What is UNFCCC?
Answer. The 1992 United Nations Framework Convention Climate Change
(UNFCCC) provides that the parties should act to protect the climate system
on the basis of equity and in accordance with the common but
differentiated responsibilities.
Very Short Answer Type Questions [2 Marks]
1. Suggest any two steps to be taken by the government to check pollution
and save environment.
Answer. (i) India’s National Auto-fuel Policj7 mandates cleaner fuels for
vehicles. The Energy Conservation Act, passed in 2001, outlines initiatives to
improve energy efficiency.
(ii) The Electricity Act of2003 encourages the use of renewable energy.
2. Mention any two outcomes of Rio- Summit.
Answer. 1. It provided a consensus to combine economic growth with
ecological responsibility for sustainable development.
2. It recommended a list of development practices called Agenda 21 which
induced climatic change, bio¬diversity, forestry and development practices.
3. Give any two environmental concerns of global politics.
Answer. 1. Ozone layer depletion is an alarming concern for ecosystem.
2. Loss of fertility of agricultural land • due to extreme use of fertilizers and
overgrazed grasslands.
4. Explain the most obvious threat to the survival of indigenous people.
Answer. The most obvious threat to the survival of indigenous people is the
loss of land
which was occupied by their ancestrals. The loss of land referred to a loss of
their economic resource also.
5. How did Earth Summit draw attention of global politics towards
environmental issues?
Answer. The Earth Summit drew attention of global politics towards
environmental issues because it produced conventions to deal with climate
change, biodiversity, forestry and recommended a list of development
practices called Agenda 21 which combined economic growth with
ecological responsibility known as ‘Sustainable Development’ as well as
Earth Summit laid stress on the cooperation of states to conserve, protect,
restore the health and integrity of the earth’s ecosystems.
6. Mention the major problems of ecological issues.
Answer. 1. Common environmental agenda could not get common
consensus due to vague scientific methods.
2. Management of outer space is influenced by North-South inequalities.
3. Technology and industrial development are also the issues over earth’s
atmosphere and ocean floor.
4. Ozone hole over Antarctic also revealed the opportunity as well as
dangers inherent in tackling global environment problems.
7. What is Kyoto Protocol?
Answer. 1. Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement signed in 1997 in
Kyoto for setting targets for industrialised countries to cut their greenhouse
gas emissions.
2. Certain gases like Carbon dioxide, Methane, Hydro-fluoro Carbons etc. are
considered responsible for global warming.
3. This global warming may rise the global temperature to have catastrophic
consequences for life on earth.
8. What do you mean by common property?
Answer. Common property refers to the rights and duties of a group
together over a natural resources with the following norms:
1. The group members enjoy rights and duties both over nature, levels of
use and the maintenance of a given resource.
2. In India, many village communities have defined members’ rights and
responsibilities through mutual understanding.
3. The institutional arrangement for the actual management of sacred
groves on state owned forest land appropriately fit the description of
common property.
9. What is ‘Resource Geopolitics’?
Answer. ‘Resource Geopolitics’ is concerned with allocation of distribution of
natural resources among the nation states of global arena:
1. It is about who gets what, when, where and how.
2. Inter state rivalry and western geopolitical thinking about resources have
been dominated by the relationship of trade, war and power.
10. Is there any difference between the prospectives adopted by the rich and
the poor nations to protect the Earth? Explain.
Answer. Yes, the rich and the poor nations adopted different prospectives to
protect the earth at Rio-Summit:
1. The rich countries were known as Global North whereas the poor
countries were called Global South.
2. Northern states showed concern with ozone depletion and global
warming whereas southern states showed
? concern for economic development and environmental management.
Short Answer Type Questions [4 Marks]
1. What is meant by common property resources? Explain with examples.
Answer. Common property refers to the rights and duties of a group
together over natural resources with the following norms:
1. The group members enjoy rights and duties both over nature, levels of
use and the maintenance of a given resource.
2. In India, many village communities have defined members’ rights and
responsibilities through mutual understanding.
3. The institutional arrangement for the actual management of sacred
groves on state owned forest level appropriating fit the description of
common property.
2. Explain the meaning of global commons. Give any four examples of global
commons.
Answer. The areas of regions located outside the jurisdiction of any one
state and require common governance by international community are
Global Commons i.e. Earth atmosphere. Antarctic Ocean Floor and outer
space. They are exploited and polluted due to:
1. Vague scientific evidences, these lack of consensus on common
environmental issues.
2. North-South inequalities and their exploitative activities and competition
lack proper management over outer space.
3. Technological and Industrial development have also affected the earth’s
atmosphere and ocean floor.
3. Describe any four steps taken by India to improve the environment.
Answer. The Indian government is participating in global efforts through a
number of programmes:
1. India’s National Auto-fuel policy mandates cleaner fuels for vehicles.
2. The Energy Conservation Act, 2001 outlines initiatives to improve energy
efficiency.
3. Electricity Act, 2003 encourages the use of renewable energy.
4. Recent trends in importing natural gas and encouraging the adoption of
clean coal technologies show that India is making real efforts.
5. India is also keen to launch a national mission on Biodiesel using about 11
million hectares of land to produce biodiesel by 2011-12.
4. Define indigenous population. Highlight any two problems of such
people.
Answer. The UN defines indigenous population as comprising the
descendants of people who inhabited the present territory of a country at
the time when persons of a different culture or ethnic origin arrived there
from other parts of the world and overcame them. The following problems
are faced by such people:
1. They lost their lands which belonged to them only for a long time.
2. The loss of land refers to a loss of an economic resource base.
3. Issues related to the rights of the indigenous communities have also been
neglected in domestic and international politics for long.
5. Explain the importance and role of concept common but differentiated
pertaining to environment.
Answer. Compromise and accommodation are the two essential policies to
Save Planet Earth by the states but the states from North and South have
different notions towards environmental issues:
1. The Northern States (Developed) are concerned with Ozone depletion and
global warming whereas Southern States (Developing) warn to address the
relationship between economic development and environmental
management.
2. The developed countries of the North want to discuss the environmental
issues which stands equally responsible for ecological conservation.
3. The developing countries of the South feel that much of the ecological
degradation in the world is created by developed countries through their
industrial projects.
4. And if developed countries cause more environmental degradation they
are supposed to take more responsibility onwards.
5. The developing countries are under process of industrialization and they
should be exempted from restrictions imposed on developed countries
through various conventions like Kyoto Protocol etc.
6. The special needs of developing coun¬tries must be taken into
considerations in the process of development, appli¬cation and
interpretation of rules of International Environmental Law.
All the above mentioned provisions were accepted in Earth Summit, 1992
while adopting common but differentiated responsibilities.
6. Explain India’s stand on environmental issues. What steps have been
suggested by India in this respect?
Answer. India plays a dominating role among the Asian countries on
environmental issues:
1. India signed and ratified the 1997 Kyoto Protocol in August 2002 which
emphasised to follow the principle common but differentiated responsibility.
2. India feels this contravens the very spirit of UNFCCC. Neither does it seem
fair to impose restrictions on India when the country’s rise per capita carbon
emissions by 2030 is likely to still represent less than half the world average.
3. The Indian government is also keen to launch a National Mission on
Biodiesel which makes India to have one of the largest renewable energy
programmes in the world.
4. The Indian government is also participating in global efforts through a
number of programmes i.e. National Auto fuel Policy, Electricity Act 2003,
Energy Conservation Act, 2001 etc.
7. What is meant by environment? Suggest any two steps for the
environmental improvement.
Answer. Environment refers to surroundings of a region which can be
improved by taking following steps:
1. More focus should be on afforestation
i. e. planting more trees to maintain ecological balance, prevent soil erosion
and enhance water cycle also.
2. Eco-friendly industries should be set up as well as industries adherent
should be disposed with scientific methods and industries should be
established at far away places from populous/residential areas.
8. What do you mean by environmental movements? Explain.
Answer. Environmental movements are the movements of a group which are
environmentally conscious to challenge environmental degradation to work
at both the national and international levels or local levels:
1. These movements raise new ideas and long term vision of what we should
not do in our individual and collective lines.
2. These environmental movements may be diverse in nature i.e. the forest
movements of the south, in Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Malaysia, Indonesia,
continental Africa and India are faced with enormous pressures.
Categories of Environmental Movements:
1. Forest Movements
2. Movement against mining corporation and mineral industry (water
pollution)
3. Anti Dam Movements against the construction of mega dams riot to
disturb channels of rivers.
9. Oil is an important resource in global strategy that affects the geopolitics
and global economy. Comment.
Answer. Oil is the resource which generates immense wealth, hence it
creates political struggles involving industrialised countries to adopt various
methods to ensure steady flows of oil:
1. These include deployment of military process near exploitation sites and
along sea lanes of communications.
2. The stockpiling of strategic resources.
3. They support multinational companies by making favourable international
agreements.
4. The global economy relied on oil as a portable and indispensable fuel,
hence, the history of petroleum is the history of war and struggle.
5. It created conflict between Iraq and Saudi Arabia as Iraq’s known reserves
are second only to Saudi Arabia and since substantial portions of Iraqi
territory are yet to be fully explored, there is a fair chance that actual
reserves might be far larger.
10. Water is a crucial resource to global politics. Explain with examples.
Or
Explain the water wars with examples.
Answer. Water is a crucial resource relevant to global politics. Regional
variations and increasing scarcity of fresh water in some parts of the world
point to the possibility of disagreements over shared water resources as a
leading source of conflicts in 21st century, which is known as water wars:
1. Water wars may create violent conflict due to disagreement of countries
over sharing rivers i.e. a typical disagreement is a downstream state’s
objection to pollution, excessive irrigation, or construction of dams which
degrade the quality of water available to downstream states.
2. States have used force to seize fresh water resources i.e. 1950, struggle
between Israel, Syria and Jordan and 1960s over attempts by each side to
divert water from the Jordan and Yarmuk rivers.
3. The more recent threats between Turkey, Syria and Iraq over the
construction of Dams on Euphrates river.
Passage Based Questions [5 Marks]
1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions:
The Indian government is already participating in global efforts through a
number of programmes. For example, India’s National Auto¬fuel Policy
mandates cleaner fuels for vehicles. The Energy Conservation Act, passed in
2001, outlines initiatives to improve energy efficiency. Similarly, the
Electricity Act of 2003 encourages the use of renewable energy. Recent
trends in importing natural gas and encouraging the adoption of clean coal
technologies show that India has been making real efforts. The government
is also keen to launch a National Mission on Biodiesel, using about 11
million hectares of land to produce biodiesel by 2011-2012. And India has
one of the largest renewable energy programmes in the world.
Questions
1. How India has participated in global efforts to protect environment?
2. What are Energy Conservation Act and Electricity Act?
3. Mention the efforts made by Indian government for biodiesel.
Answer.
1. It has launched a number of programmes i.e. Auto Fuel Policy, Energy
Conservation Act 2001, Electricity Act 2003 to protect environment.
2. The Energy Conservation Act was passed in 2001 to outline initiatives to
improve energy efficiency and Electricity Act, passed in 2003 to encourage
the use of renewable energy by the Indian government as a conservation
programme.
3. The Indian government is keen to launch a National Mission on Biodiesel
using about 11 million hectares of land to produce biodiesel by 2011-12.
2. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions:
The global economy relied on oil for much of the 20th century as a portable
and indispensable fuel. The immense wealth associated with oil generates
political struggles to control it, and the history of petroleum is also the
history of war and struggle. Nowhere is this more obviously the case than in
West Asia and Central Asia, West Asia, specifically the Gulf region, accounts
for about 30 per cent of global oil production. But it has about 64 per cent
of the planet’s known reserves, and is therefore the only region able to
satisfy any substantial rise in oil demand. Saudi Arabia has a quarter of the
world’s total reserves and is the single largest producer. Iraq’s known
reserves are second only to Saudi Arabia’s. And, since substantial portions of
Iraqi territory are yet to be fully explored, there is a fair chance that actual
resei*ves might be far that actual reseiVes might be far larger. The United
States, Europe, Japan, and increasingly India and China, which consume this
petroleum, are located at a considerable distance from the region.
Questions
1. Which region has much potential for oil production?
2. Which area is supposed to have far larger reserves than actually it has?
3. Why the history of petroleum is called the history of war and struggle?
Answer.
1. West Asia especially the Gulf region enjoys much more potential for oil
production.
larger. The United States, Europe, Japan, and increasingly India and China,
which consume this petroleum, are located at a considerable distance from
the region.
2. Iraqi territory is supposed to be fully explored.
3. The global economy relied on oil for much of 20th century as a portable
and indispensable fuel. The common wealth associated with oil generates
political struggles to control it.
Long Answer Type Questions [6 Marks]
1. Explain the meaning of‘global commons’. How are environmental
concerns becoming important in global politics?
Answer. ‘Commons’ are those resources which are not owned by anyone but
rather shared by a community. This could be a ‘common room’, a
‘community centre’, a park or a river. Similarly, there are some areas or
regions of the world which are located outside the sovereign jurisdiction of
any one state, and therefore require common governance by the
international community. These are known as ‘global commons’. They
include the earth’s atmosphere, Antarctica, the ocean floor and outer space.
Although environmental concerns have a long history, awareness of the
environmental consequences of economic growth acquired an increasingly
political character from the 1960s onwards. The Club of Rome, a global
think-tank, published a book in 1972 entitled Limits to Growth, dramatising
the potential depletion of the earth’s resources against the backdrop of
rapidly growing world population. International agencies began holding
international conferences and promoting detailed studies to get a more
coordinated and effective response to environmental problems. Since then,
the environment has emerged as significant . issue of global politics.
The growing focus on environmental issues within the arena of global
politics was firmly consolidated at the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development held in Rio de Janerio, Brazil, in June, 1992.
This was also called the Earth Summit. The Summit was attended by 170
states, thousands of NGOs and many multinational corporations. The
Summit produced conventions dealing with climate change, biodiversity,
forestry and recommended a list of development practices called ‘Agenda
21’. But it left unresolved considerable differences and difficulties. There was
a consensus on combining economic growth with ecological responsibility.
This approach to development is commonly known as ‘sustainable
development’.
2. Explain the concept of “common but differentiated responsibilities”. How
and where was it emphasised upon?
Or
States have common but differentiated responsibilities towards
environment. Analyse the statement giving suitable examples.
Answer. Common but differentiated responsibilities mean that ‘the states
shall cooperate in the spirit of global partnership to conserve, protect and
restore the health and integrity of the earth’s eco system. As the states have
common but differentiated responsibilities over various contribution of
global environmental degradation. The developed countries acknowledge
that the responsibility that they bear in the international pursuit of
sustainable development in view of the pressures their societies place on the
global environment and of the technological and financial resources they
command. We could implement the idea with the help of conventions and
declarations:
1. The Rio Summit held in June 1992 produced conventions dealing with
climate change, biodiversity, forestry and recommended a list of developed
practices called Agenda 21.
2. The 1992 United Nation’s Framework Convention on Climatic Change
(UNFCCC) also emphasised that the parties should act to protect the climate
system on the basis of common but differentiated responsibilities.
3. An international agreement known by its Protocol set targets for
industrialised countries to cut their greenhouse gas emissions which support
for global warming.
3. Analyse India’s stand on any three environmental issues. Or
Analyse India’s stand on environmental issues.
Answer. India plays a dominating role among the Asian countries on
environmental issues:
1. India signed and ratified the 1997 Kyoto Protocol in August 2002 which
emphasised to follow the principle common but differentiated responsibility.
2. India feels this convention is the very spirit of UNFCCC. Neither does it
seem fair to impose restrictions on India when the country’s rise in per
capita carbon emissions by 2030 is likely to still represent less than half the
world average.
3. The Indian government is also keen to launch a National Mission on
Biodiesel which makes India to have one of the largest renewable energy
programmes in the world.
4. The Indian government is also participating in global efforts through a
number of programmes i.e. National Auto Fuel Policy, Electricity Act 2003,
Energy Conservation Act, 2001, etc.
4. Explain any three environmental concerns in global politics.
Answer. Some environmental issues have been considered as the global
issues:
1. Natural resources are being depleted i.e. cultivable area has not been
sustained any more, agricultural land lost fertility and grass lands have been
overgrazed.
2. Waterbodies have suffered a depletion and pollution both.
3. A steady decline in ozone layer also poses a threat to ecosystem and
human health.
4. Natural forests stabilize the climate, moderate water supply and habitat
various species also which are also being lost creating destruction to
biodiversity through industrial pollution etc.
5. Due to land based activities, coastal pollution is also increasing which
affects fisheries.
5. Mention the rights of indigenous peoples.
Answer. The UN defines indigenous population as the descendants of
people who inhabited the present territory of a country’at the time when
persons of a different culture or ethnic origin arrived there from other parts
of world and overcome them. The rights of indigenous people can be
summarised as follows:
1. Indigenous people speak of their struggles, agenda and fights like social
movements.
2. Their voices in world politics call for the admission of indigenous people
to the world community as equals.
3. Many of the present day island states in the Oceania region (including
Australia, New Zealand) were inhabited by various indigenous people over
the course of show for thousands of years.
4. Indigenous people appeal to government to create indigenous nations
with an identity of their own.
5. The World Council of indigenous people was formed in 1975. The council
became the first of 11 indigenous NGOs to receive consultative status in the
UN.
Picture/Map Based Questions [5 Marks]
1. Study the picture given below and answer the questions that follow:

Questions
1. What does the picture represent?
2. Why do you think the fingers are designed like chimneys and the world
made into a lighter?
3. What message does this picture convey?
Answer.
1. It represents ‘Industrial Pollution’ commenting on ‘Global warming’.
2. Fingers denote pollution coming out of chimneys from industries and the
lighter represents burning and depleting of natural resources.
3. This picture draws the attention of the world towards industrial pollution,
if it continues on, flora and fauna will be depleted which will create an
imbalance to ecosystem.
2. Study the picture given below and answer the questions that follow:

Questions
1. What does the cartoon represent?
2. Which countries are being shown here?
3. What message does this picture convey?
Answer.
1. The cartoon represents the methods adopted by industrialised countries
to fulfil their essentials from weaker sections.
2. The stronger country like the USA and the weaker nation like Iraq.
3. Resources are the real strength of a nation and neo-colonialism play
politics to obtain it.