1The Paris Agreement aims to limit warming to well below:
- 1°C
- 2°C
- 3°C
- 5°C
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. 2°C
Above pre-industrial levels, pursuing 1.5°C.
UGC NET PAPER 1 · CODE 00 · UNIT 09
UGC NET Paper 1 Unit 9: People, Development & Environment
This unit links everyday environmental issues with development goals and the laws and agreements that respond to them. Most questions test recall of goals, gases, treaties and years. These notes keep the essentials of each syllabus topic short so you can revise them quickly, whatever your subject.
- 8 syllabus topics
- 700+ free MCQs
- No sign-up
- Updated 11 October 2026
NET Law 058 is an independent study aid, not affiliated with UGC or NTA. Always check the official UGC NET syllabus and the latest official sources for any data.
What Unit 9 covers
This unit rewards neat tables of goals, treaties and laws, so revise them often rather than reading long chapters. The official syllabus lists 8 topics for this unit. Each is explained below with the points examiners most often use.
1Development and environment: millennium and sustainable development goals
- The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were eight goals set in 2000 for the target year 2015, covering poverty, health, education and gender equality.
- The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are 17 goals adopted by the UN in 2015 under Agenda 2030, to be achieved by 2030.
- Sustainable development means meeting present needs without harming the ability of future generations to meet theirs (Brundtland Report, 1987).
- SDG 13 is climate action. Other examples: SDG 1 no poverty, SDG 4 quality education, SDG 6 clean water and sanitation, SDG 7 affordable and clean energy.
2Human-environment interaction; anthropogenic activities and environmental impact
- Anthropogenic activities are those caused by humans, such as farming, industry, mining, urbanisation and deforestation.
- Their effects include habitat loss, pollution, loss of biodiversity and climate change.
- Ecological footprint measures human demand on nature, and carrying capacity is the limit that an environment can support.
- The three pillars of sustainability are environment, society and economy.
3Environmental issues: local, regional and global; air, water, soil, noise and waste pollution
- Local issues include waste and sewage. Regional issues include acid rain and river pollution. Global issues include climate change and ozone depletion.
- Primary air pollutants are emitted directly (carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, particulate matter). Secondary pollutants such as ground-level ozone and photochemical smog form in the air.
- Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) indicates organic pollution in water. Eutrophication is the nutrient enrichment of water that causes algal blooms and lowers dissolved oxygen.
- Noise is measured in decibels (dB). Waste may be solid, liquid, hazardous, e-waste or biomedical, and is managed by reduce, reuse and recycle.
4Climate change, global warming, ozone depletion, acid rain and impacts on human health
- Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and water vapour trap heat and cause global warming. Methane traps far more heat per molecule than carbon dioxide.
- The ozone layer in the stratosphere absorbs ultraviolet radiation. Ozone depletion is caused by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
- Acid rain is caused mainly by sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides forming acids in the atmosphere.
- Health impacts include respiratory disease, heat stress, vector-borne disease, skin cancer and cataracts (from UV exposure) and food insecurity.
5Natural and energy resources: solar, wind, soil, hydro, geothermal, biomass and nuclear
- Renewable resources are replenished naturally: solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, tidal and biomass. Non-renewable resources are coal, petroleum and natural gas.
- Geothermal energy comes from heat inside the Earth. Biomass energy comes from plant and animal matter and is generally treated as renewable.
- Nuclear energy uses fission of uranium. It is low in carbon but raises waste and safety concerns.
- Soil is a natural resource formed over a very long time, and it faces erosion, salinisation and loss of fertility.
6Natural hazards and disasters; mitigation and management
- Natural hazards include earthquakes, floods, cyclones, droughts, landslides, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis. Industrial and chemical accidents are anthropogenic disasters.
- Disaster management has stages: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.
- In India, the Disaster Management Act, 2005 created the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) as the apex body, with state and district authorities.
- Early warning, community awareness and land-use planning reduce the damage from disasters.
7Environmental protection legislation and international agreements
- India: Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, Water Act 1974, Forest (Conservation) Act 1980, Air Act 1981, Environment (Protection) Act 1986 (after the Bhopal gas tragedy), and the National Green Tribunal Act 2010.
- Stockholm Conference 1972 (first major UN conference on the environment) and Earth Summit, Rio de Janeiro 1992.
- Montreal Protocol 1987 (ozone-depleting substances), Kyoto Protocol 1997 (cutting greenhouse gas emissions), Paris Agreement 2015 (limit warming to well below 2 degrees C, pursuing 1.5 degrees C).
- World Environment Day is on 5 June.
8Environmental assessment and education
- Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies the likely effects of a project on the environment before approval. In India it works under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
- An EIA includes screening, scoping, impact analysis, public hearing, review and monitoring.
- Environmental education builds awareness, knowledge, attitudes and skills for protecting the environment. It was made a compulsory subject at school and college level by a Supreme Court order in 2003 (M.C. Mehta case).
- The Tbilisi Declaration, 1977 set the goals of environmental education.
Quick reference tables
| Agreement or event | Year | Concern |
|---|---|---|
| Stockholm Conference | 1972 | First UN conference on the human environment |
| Montreal Protocol | 1987 | Ozone-depleting substances |
| Earth Summit, Rio | 1992 | Environment and development; Agenda 21; climate and biodiversity conventions |
| Kyoto Protocol | 1997 | Reducing greenhouse gas emissions |
| Millennium Development Goals | 2000 | Eight goals for 2015 |
| Sustainable Development Goals | 2015 | 17 goals for 2030 |
| Paris Agreement | 2015 | Limit warming to well below 2 degrees C |
| No. | Goal |
|---|---|
| 1 | No poverty |
| 2 | Zero hunger |
| 3 | Good health and well-being |
| 4 | Quality education |
| 5 | Gender equality |
| 6 | Clean water and sanitation |
| 7 | Affordable and clean energy |
| 8 | Decent work and economic growth |
| 9 | Industry, innovation and infrastructure |
| 10 | Reduced inequalities |
| 11 | Sustainable cities and communities |
| 12 | Responsible consumption and production |
| 13 | Climate action |
| 14 | Life below water |
| 15 | Life on land |
| 16 | Peace, justice and strong institutions |
| 17 | Partnerships for the goals |
Key terms and facts to remember
Sustainable Development Goals2015
17 goals under Agenda 2030.
Millennium Development Goals2000
Eight goals with 2015 as the target year.
Montreal Protocol1987
Phases out ozone-depleting substances such as CFCs.
Kyoto Protocol1997
Binding cuts in greenhouse gas emissions for developed countries.
Paris Agreement2015
Keep warming well below 2 degrees C and pursue 1.5 degrees C.
Environment (Protection) Act1986
Umbrella law in India, passed after the Bhopal gas tragedy.
Stockholm Conference1972
First UN conference on the human environment.
Ozone layer
Lies in the stratosphere and absorbs ultraviolet radiation.
Eutrophication
Nutrient enrichment of water leading to algal blooms and low oxygen.
BOD
Biochemical oxygen demand; a higher value means more organic pollution.
NDMA2005
Apex body for disaster management in India under the Disaster Management Act.
World Environment Day
Observed on 5 June.
Practise People, Development & Environment MCQs topic by topic
Beyond the six samples, all 708 questions for this unit are on their own pages, grouped by syllabus topic, with the answer key on the page.
- International Agreements (9)
- Air Pollution (8)
- Natural Hazards (8)
- Energy Resources (10)
- Millennium and Sustainable Development Goals (Part 1) (25)
- Millennium and Sustainable Development Goals (Part 2) (25)
- Millennium and Sustainable Development Goals (Part 3) (25)
- Millennium and Sustainable Development Goals (Part 4) (24)
- Human and Environment Interaction: Anthropogenic Activities (Part 1) (24)
- Human and Environment Interaction: Anthropogenic Activities (Part 2) (24)
- Human and Environment Interaction: Anthropogenic Activities (Part 3) (24)
- Human and Environment Interaction: Anthropogenic Activities (Part 4) (24)
Try 6 sample questions
Tap “Show answer” after you have tried each one. These come from the 700+ MCQs in this unit.
2The Montreal Protocol deals with:
- Whaling
- Ozone-depleting substances
- Wetlands
- Biodiversity
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. Ozone-depleting substances
Adopted in 1987.
3The Environment (Protection) Act in India was enacted in:
- 1972
- 1981
- 1986
- 1991
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. 1986
After the Bhopal tragedy.
4Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) indicates:
- Noise level
- Air quality
- Soil fertility
- Organic pollution in water
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. Organic pollution in water
Higher BOD means more organic pollution.
5Consider the statements: 1. Anthropogenic activities contribute to climate change. 2. Biomass is a non-renewable resource.
- Only statement 1 is correct
- Only statement 2 is correct
- Both statements are correct
- Neither statement is correct
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. Only statement 1 is correct
Biomass is renewable.
6SDG 13 relates to:
- Climate action
- Zero hunger
- Clean water
- Quality education
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. Climate action
Take urgent action on climate change.
How to study this unit
- Learn the treaty-year-subject triplets in the table. Most agreement questions ask for exactly one of the three.
- Keep a list of gases and their effects: CFCs and ozone, SO2 and NOx and acid rain, CO2 and methane and warming.
- Revise the Indian environmental Acts by year, and remember that the Environment Protection Act of 1986 is the umbrella law.
Planning your time? See the UGC NET Law preparation plans for 6 months, 3 months, 1 month or 2 weeks, or check the cut-off trend to set a target score.
Last updated: . Notes are a revision aid. Check official sources for the latest figures. Spotted a mistake? Write to netlawverse@gmail.com.