Official UPSC Format

Consider the following statements with reference to India's response to climate change :
I. India's Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) is a crucial tool for achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.
II. India's 4th Biennial Update Report (BUR-4) submitted in December, 2024 recorded around 8% decrease in Greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 over 2019.
III. Climate-resilient development necessarily depends on quick and short-term achievement of emission reduction targets.
Which of the following relationships among the above statements is/are correct ?
1. Statement I is empirically supported by statement II.
2. Statement III contradicts the approach implicit in statement I.
3. Statement I and statement III together establish the premise of long-term sustainability.
Select the answer using the code given below :

⚡ Quick Recall Snippet

India's Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) aims for net-zero by 2070. While the 4th Biennial Update Report (BUR-4) showed an 8% drop in 2020 emissions, this was an anomaly caused by COVID-19 lockdowns, thus providing no empirical support for LT-LEDS. Furthermore, the IPCC's requirement for immediate, short-term emission reductions contradicts the strictly long-term approach implicit in strategies like LT-LEDS.

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Detailed Solution & Authority Citations

Correct Answer is Option B
This question requires analyzing the UNFCCC reports and identifying logical relationships in climate policy:
  • Evaluating Relationship 1 (Incorrect): Statement I outlines a strategic policy (LT-LEDS). Statement II presents raw data (an 8% emission drop in 2020). However, the 2020 drop was not a structural victory; it was a temporary anomaly caused by the COVID-19 industrial lockdown. Therefore, this data does not empirically support or validate the success of India's long-term strategic policy framework.

  • Evaluating Relationship 2 (Correct): Statement I relies heavily on a distant, "long-term" temporal horizon (net-zero by 2070). Statement III reflects current IPCC guidance, which stresses that without immediate, "short-term" aggressive emission cuts right now, long-term goals are meaningless. Thus, the urgency of III fundamentally contradicts the distant approach implicit in I.

  • Evaluating Relationship 3 (Incorrect): Because Statement III contradicts the timeline of Statement I, they do not harmoniously establish a premise; they highlight a tension in climate planning between delayed long-term goals and immediate short-term necessities.
    • Conclusion: Only Relationship 2 represents an accurate logical assessment. (Note: While the provided answer key indicates '1 and 2', standard logical analysis heavily disputes Relationship 1. Candidates must remain alert to official key releases).

    🚨 The Examiner's Trap

    The examiner uses a logical reasoning format. Relationship 1 tests if candidates can spot a 'correlation without causation' fallacy (assuming the 2020 drop was due to brilliant policy, rather than a global pandemic shutdown).

    Active Recall Flashcard

    Tap to Flip

    Did the 8% decrease in India's greenhouse gas emissions reported for the year 2020 empirically prove the success of its structural climate policies?

    No, the decrease was an anomaly caused by economic slowdowns and lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Concept Flow Mapping

    LT-LEDS
    Aims For
    Net-Zero by 2070
    BUR-4 Report
    Recorded
    Emission Drop Due To COVID-19
    Climate-Resilient Development
    Requires
    Short-Term Emission Reductions

    Logic Quest

    "Why does Statement III 'contradict' Statement I?"

    Not analyzing core concepts like Data Interpretation in Environmental Policy through the lens of Previous Year Questions is a serious miss-out. This PYQ engine is specifically designed to help you decode the examiner's mindset and master highly probable Environment & Ecology questions for your upcoming Prelims.