UPSC Prelims 2018 CSAT Paper II · Q49 of 58 Comprehension medium

Passage

All actions to address climate change ultimately involve costs. Funding is vital in order for countries like India to design and implement adaptation and mitigation plans and projects. The problem is more severe for developing countries like India, which would be one of the hardest hit by climate change, given its need to finance development. Most countries do indeed treat climate change as real threat and are striving to address it in a more comprehensive and integrated manner with the limited resources at their disposal.

With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made : 1. Climate change is not a challenge for developed countries. 2. Climate change is a complex policy issue and also a development issue for many countries. 3. Ways and means of finance must be found to enable developing countries to enhance their adaptive capacity. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

  1. (a) 1 and 2 only
  2. (b) 3 only
  3. (c) 2 and 3 only ✓ UPSC's answer
  4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Why the answer is (c)

• Assumption 1 is invalid because the passage states that 'Most countries' treat climate change as a real threat, implying it is a challenge for both developed and developing nations, not just the latter.

• Assumption 2 is valid as the text describes the issue as requiring 'comprehensive and integrated' action with 'limited resources,' linking it to both policy complexity and development constraints.

• Assumption 3 is valid because the passage explicitly highlights that 'Funding is vital' for countries like India to implement plans and notes the problem is severe for developing nations needing to finance development.

• Therefore, only assumptions 2 and 3 are supported by the text, making option (c) the correct answer.

Why the other options are wrong

(a) 1 and 2 only
This option is incorrect because it includes Assumption 1, which falsely claims climate change is not a challenge for developed countries, contradicting the passage's statement that most countries view it as a real threat.
(b) 3 only
This option is incorrect because it excludes Assumption 2, which is validly supported by the passage's description of climate change as a complex issue requiring integrated policy and development financing.
(d) 1, 2 and 3
This option is incorrect because it includes Assumption 1, which is not supported by the passage as it incorrectly limits the challenge of climate change to developing countries only.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2018, held on 3 June 2018. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

Reading the answer is not the same as getting it right under a clock. Practise this question with UPSC's negative marking, and anything you miss goes into an error notebook until you get it right twice.

Practise this paper free