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Environment Current Affairs 2026

Climate change, wildlife, national parks, pollution and environmental agreements. Useful for the map and species questions papers love.

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EnvironmentUPSC

Climate Change: Lancet Countdown Report Warns of 3 Million Heat-Related Deaths (2016-2023) and $1 Trillion Annual Economic Loss

The 10th Lancet Countdown report, released ahead of COP 31, frames climate change as a global health emergency, citing 3 million heat-related deaths from 2016-2023 and an annual economic loss of over $1 trillion. It highlights the severe health and economic impacts, calling for integrated policy responses to build resilience.

28 October 2026, The Hindu

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India’s CCUS Strategy for Net Zero 2070: ₹20,000 Crore Scheme, First Integrated Field Lab at IIT Bombay, and Decarbonizing Hard-to-Abate Sectors
UPSCBPSCUPPSCJPSCSSC
27 October 2026
3
India's Biodiversity Conservation: 1,134 PAs, 103 Ramsar Sites, 57 Heritage Sites, and 18 Biosphere Reserves
UPSC
27 October 2026
4
Punjab Farm Fires: 72% of 574 Incidents in Tarn Taran & Amritsar; CAQM Stresses Access to Machinery
UPSC
25 October 2026

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Environment quiz

Questions from recent environment stories. One attempt per question.

Q1
The Lancet Countdown report, which calls climate change a global health emergency, is published ahead of which upcoming international climate summit?
Explanation: The article explicitly states that the 10th edition of the Lancet Countdown report was published ahead of the COP 31 climate summit scheduled for November. COP stands for Conference of the Parties under the UNFCCC.
Q2
Which premier institute houses India's first integrated Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) Field Laboratory, as per the article?
Explanation: The article explicitly states that 'India’s first integrated CCUS Field Laboratory at IIT Bombay' was inaugurated in May 2026. JNCASR Bengaluru hosts a National CCUS Centre, but the first integrated field lab is at IIT Bombay.
Q3
Which ministry is responsible for India's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) mentioned in the news?
Explanation: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is the nodal agency for biodiversity conservation in India. It is responsible for implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and formulating the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP).
Q4
Consider the following statements regarding the news on Punjab farm fires:
1. 1.Over 70% of the farm fires recorded in Punjab this season are concentrated in the Malwa region.
2. 2.The early spike in stubble burning in districts like Tarn Taran is primarily due to farmers preparing fields for a Rabi season wheat crop.
3. 3.The Punjab Remote Sensing Centre is involved in monitoring and identifying hotspots for stubble burning.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect. The article states 72% of fires are in Amritsar and Tarn Taran, which are in the Majha region, not Malwa. Statement 2 is incorrect. The early spike is due to farmers preparing for a third crop (green peas/potatoes), not directly for wheat. Statement 3 is correct as experts from the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre are mentioned in the article.
Q5
Consider the following statements regarding the findings of the Lancet Countdown report (2026):
1. 1.The report states that roughly 323,000 deaths have been avoided in at least 77 countries where air pollution from fossil fuels has fallen since 2016.
2. 2.It estimates that heat caused three million deaths globally in the eight-year span from 2016 to 2023.
3. 3.The report finds that investment in clean energy reached $2.1 trillion in 2025, which was half the amount invested in fossil fuels.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct as per the article. Statement 2 is also correct, as the report cites 3 million heat-related deaths from 2016-2023. Statement 3 is incorrect because the article states clean energy investment ($2.1 trillion) was double, not half, the amount invested in fossil fuels in 2025.
Q6
Consider the following statements regarding Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) in India:
1. 1.The Union Budget 2026-27 allocated ₹20,000 crore specifically for CCUS deployment in the power and agriculture sectors.
2. 2.NITI Aayog has identified the Odisha-Jharkhand belt as a potential regional cluster for CCUS linked to its steel and cement industries.
3. 3.The CCUS process involves the permanent storage of captured carbon dioxide only in depleted oil and gas reservoirs.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect: The ₹20,000 crore allocation is for five sectors: Power, Steel, Cement, Refineries, and Chemicals – agriculture is not mentioned. Statement 2 is correct as per the article. Statement 3 is incorrect: Permanent storage can be in depleted oil/gas reservoirs, deep saline aquifers, and basaltic rock formations, not only the first option.
Q7
Consider the following statements regarding India's biodiversity conservation efforts as mentioned in the article:
1. 1.India has more than 100 Ramsar sites designated as wetlands of international importance.
2. 2.The International Big Cat Alliance is an initiative focused solely on the conservation of tigers in India.
3. 3.Mission LiFE and Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam are initiatives that integrate biodiversity conservation with societal participation.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct: The article states India has 103 Ramsar sites. Statement 2 is incorrect: The International Big Cat Alliance aims to conserve the world's seven big-cat species, not just tigers. Statement 3 is correct: The article mentions Mission LiFE and Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam as initiatives that make biodiversity conservation a collective societal endeavour.
Q8
According to the article, what was the total number of farm fire incidents recorded in Punjab between September 15 and October 24, 2026?
Explanation: The article explicitly states that Punjab recorded 574 farm fires in the period from September 15 to October 24, 2026. 414 is the number of fires in the two hotspot districts. 561 was last year's tally, and 1,678 was the tally for the corresponding period in 2024.
Q9
According to the Lancet Countdown report (2026), what percentage of the global energy mix is still accounted for by fossil fuels?
Explanation: The report states that fossil fuels still account for 80 percent of global energy. This is a key data point highlighting the slow pace of the energy transition despite increased clean energy investments.
Q10
What is the daily carbon dioxide capture capacity of India's first integrated CCUS Field Laboratory at IIT Bombay?
Explanation: The article provides the specific data point: 'The indigenous facility can capture up to 3 tonnes of carbon dioxide per day from industrial emissions and ambient air.' The other options are plausible but incorrect distractors.

Environment current affairs: questions and answers

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