1. With reference to the Kyoto Protocol (1997), consider the following statements:

1. It is the first binding international treaty under the UNFCCC mandating emission reductions for industrialised nations.
2. It was based on the principle of “Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR–RC).”
3. The Protocol was formally repealed after the Paris Agreement (2015) came into force.

Which of the above statements are correct?

• 1 and 2 only
• 2 and 3 only
• 1 and 3 only
• 1, 2 and 3

2. Consider the following findings of the OECD report on plastic use in Southeast & East Asia:

1. By 2050, plastic waste in lower-middle-income ASEAN nations like Indonesia and Vietnam is projected to almost quadruple.
2. The report proposes a Global High Stringency (GHS) policy scenario, which could reduce mismanaged plastic waste by 97%.
3. Greenhouse gas emissions from plastic lifecycle are expected to decline in the business-as-usual scenario.

Which of the above statements are correct?

• 1 and 2 only
• 2 and 3 only
• 1 and 3 only
• 1, 2 and 3

3. The recently launched Human Outer Planet Exploration (HOPE) analogue station in Ladakh primarily aims to:

• Establish a permanent human colony in the Himalayas
• Replicate extraterrestrial conditions for testing technologies and studying human adaptability
• Monitor regional climate change impacts on high-altitude ecosystems
• Serve as India’s first operational space launch site at high altitude

4. With reference to the Indo-Burma Ramsar Regional Initiative (IBRRI), consider the following statements:

1. It is a regional mechanism to implement the Ramsar Convention’s Strategic Plan.
2. Its governance includes a Steering Committee, Secretariat, and Stakeholder Committee.
3. It is supported by IUCN’s BRIDGE project for cross-border water governance.

Which of the above statements are correct?

• 1 and 2 only
• 2 and 3 only
• 1 and 3 only
• 1, 2 and 3

5. The Darwin Tree of Life (DToL) project, recently in news, is aimed at:

• Creating a global seed bank of endangered plants
• Sequencing genomes of all eukaryotic species in Britain and Ireland
• Developing genetically modified crops for food security
• Mapping phylogenetic trees of all known prokaryotic organisms