UPSC Prelims 2022 CSAT Paper II · Q2 of 78 Comprehension medium

Passage

The main threat to maintaining progress in human development comes from the increasingly evident unsustainability of production and consumption patterns. Current production models rely heavily on fossil fuels. We now know that this is unsustainable because the resources are finite. The close link between economic growth and greenhouse gas emissions needs to be severed for human development to become truly sustainable. Some developed countries have begun to alleviate the worst effects by expanding recycling and investing in public transport and infrastructure. But most developing countries are hampered by the high costs and low availability of clean energy sources. Developed countries need to support developing countries' transition to sustainable human development.

Consider the following statements : Developed countries can support developing countries' transition to sustainable human development by 1. making clean energy sources available at low cost 2. providing loans for improving their public transport at nominal interest rates 3. encouraging them to change their production and consumption patterns Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Why the answer is (b)

• The passage says most developing countries are hampered by the high costs and low availability of clean energy sources, so developed countries can support them by making clean energy sources available at low cost; statement 1 is correct.

• It also says some developed countries have begun to alleviate the worst effects by investing in public transport and infrastructure, so providing loans for improving public transport at nominal interest rates is a concrete support measure; statement 2 is correct.

• The passage identifies unsustainability of production and consumption patterns as the main threat, but it does not state that developed countries support developing countries by encouraging them to change those patterns; statement 3 is not a support measure specified in the passage.

• Therefore, only statements 1 and 2 are correct, which corresponds to option (b).

Why the other options are wrong

(a) 1 only
Option (a) is wrong because it omits statement 2, which is supported by the passage's reference to developed countries investing in public transport and infrastructure.
(c) 2 and 3 only
Option (c) is wrong because it includes statement 3, which the passage does not present as a specific way developed countries can support developing countries.
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Option (d) is wrong because it includes statement 3, which is not stated as a concrete support action by developed countries in the passage.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2022, held on 5 June 2022. 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.

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