Environment and Climate Change Competitive Exams
50 questions · Pakistan Studies
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Question 1 of 50
Pakistan's Federal Minister for Climate Change who led the country's delegation and advocacy for the Loss and Damage Fund at COP27 (2022) was:
ExplanationSenator Sherry Rehman, as Federal Minister for Climate Change, led Pakistan's delegation at COP27 and was a prominent international voice in the successful push for the Loss and Damage Fund.
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Question 2 of 50
Pakistan's federal ministry with primary responsibility for climate policy is the:
ExplanationThe Ministry of Climate Change (also referred to as the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination) is the principal federal body responsible for formulating and coordinating Pakistan's climate policy.
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Question 3 of 50
Among Pakistan's provinces, which was identified as being particularly severely affected by the 2022 floods, given its low-lying position along the Indus River and its agricultural importance?
ExplanationSindh, positioned along the lower Indus River and heavily dependent on agriculture, suffered severe and prolonged flooding in 2022, with floodwaters remaining stagnant in many areas for an extended period.
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Question 4 of 50
The seasonal air pollution phenomenon known as 'smog', which severely affects cities such as Lahore during the winter months, results primarily from a combination of vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, and:
ExplanationLahore's severe winter smog results from a combination of vehicular and industrial emissions, brick kiln pollution, and, significantly, seasonal crop residue (stubble) burning by farmers in the surrounding Punjab region and across the border.
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Question 5 of 50
The 'Living Indus Initiative', a large-scale, UN-backed nature-based solutions programme launched in the aftermath of the 2022 floods, is aimed at:
ExplanationThe Living Indus Initiative, launched with UN support following the 2022 floods, is one of the world's largest nature-based solutions programmes, aiming to restore the ecological health and resilience of the Indus River basin.
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Question 6 of 50
Rapid, largely unplanned urbanization in Pakistan's major cities has contributed to environmental challenges including all of the following EXCEPT:
ExplanationUnplanned urbanization contributes to air pollution, strain on water and sanitation systems, and loss of green spaces -- but it has no direct effect on glacier volume, which is instead driven primarily by temperature and precipitation changes in mountain regions.
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Question 7 of 50
Comparing the 2010 and 2022 floods, both disasters shared which common feature?
ExplanationDespite occurring twelve years apart, both the 2010 and 2022 floods were catastrophic events resulting in over 1,700 deaths each and affecting tens of millions of people, illustrating Pakistan's recurring vulnerability to extreme flooding.
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Question 8 of 50
The total damages, economic losses, and reconstruction needs arising from the 2022 floods were collectively estimated, in the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment, to exceed:
ExplanationThe joint Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (conducted with the Asian Development Bank, the EU, UN agencies, and the World Bank) estimated total damages, economic losses, and reconstruction needs from the 2022 floods at more than USD 30 billion.
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Question 9 of 50
Pakistan is a signatory to the Paris Agreement, the major international climate treaty adopted in 2015, under the broader framework of the:
ExplanationThe Paris Agreement, to which Pakistan is a party, operates under the umbrella of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the primary global treaty framework for addressing climate change.
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Question 10 of 50
Building on the success of the Billion Tree Tsunami, Prime Minister Imran Khan's government launched a nationwide reforestation programme in 2018 called the:
ExplanationThe Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme was launched in September 2018 (on 'Plant for Pakistan Day') as a nationwide expansion of the earlier Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-based Billion Tree Tsunami model.
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Question 11 of 50
Pakistan's mountain glaciers are of critical national importance primarily because they feed the:
ExplanationGlacial meltwater is a critical source feeding the Indus River system, upon which the vast majority of Pakistan's agriculture, drinking water, and hydropower generation depend.
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Question 12 of 50
The Pakistan Climate Change Act, 2017 established two key institutions: the Pakistan Climate Change Authority, and the:
ExplanationThe Act establishes both the Pakistan Climate Change Council, which coordinates and supervises enforcement of the Act, and the Pakistan Climate Change Authority, which formulates adaptation and mitigation policies.
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Question 13 of 50
Under the Pakistan Climate Change Act, 2017, the Pakistan Climate Change Council is headed by:
ExplanationThe Pakistan Climate Change Council, the Act's apex coordinating body, is headed by the Prime Minister and includes relevant federal ministers, provincial chief ministers, and other appointed members.
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Question 14 of 50
During COP27, Pakistan's leading role in securing the Loss and Damage Fund agreement was strengthened by its position as chair of the:
ExplanationPakistan's position as chair of the Group of 77 and China -- a bloc of developing countries -- gave it significant diplomatic leverage in pushing for the Loss and Damage Fund's inclusion on the COP27 agenda and its eventual adoption.
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Question 15 of 50
The sudden release of large volumes of water from a glacier-fed lake, often triggered by rising temperatures, is known as a:
ExplanationA Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) occurs when a lake formed by melting glacier ice suddenly breaches its natural barrier, releasing a large and often destructive volume of water downstream -- a growing risk in Pakistan's northern mountain regions.
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Question 16 of 50
Despite contributing less than one percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan is consistently ranked as one of the world's:
ExplanationPakistan contributes less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet it is repeatedly ranked among the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change -- a stark example of climate injustice frequently highlighted by Pakistani officials internationally.
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Question 17 of 50
Pakistan's 'Recharge Pakistan' initiative, developed with support from international climate finance mechanisms after the 2022 floods, focuses on:
ExplanationRecharge Pakistan is a flood-resilience and water-management initiative that uses nature-based solutions -- such as restoring wetlands and floodplains -- to enhance natural water storage and aquifer recharge, developed in the aftermath of the 2022 floods.
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Question 18 of 50
Pakistan's combination of low historical greenhouse gas emissions and high climate vulnerability has made it a leading international voice in advocating for the principle of:
ExplanationGiven its low contribution to global emissions but high exposure to climate impacts, Pakistan has been a prominent advocate internationally for climate justice, including the principle that heavily-emitting nations should help compensate vulnerable countries for loss and damage.
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Question 19 of 50
The provincial-level counterparts of the federal Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency are known as:
ExplanationFollowing the devolution of environmental subjects to the provinces (notably after the Eighteenth Constitutional Amendment), Provincial Environmental Protection Agencies were strengthened as the main provincial bodies enforcing environmental regulations.
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Question 20 of 50
The 2022 floods in Pakistan, described as the worst monsoon flooding disaster in the country's history, submerged approximately what proportion of the country at their peak?
ExplanationAt their peak in August 2022, the floods submerged approximately one-third of Pakistan, affecting all four provinces.
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Question 21 of 50
Outside the polar regions, Pakistan is home to more glaciers than any other country, with an estimated total of over:
ExplanationPakistan is estimated to have more than 7,200 glaciers, giving it the largest number of glaciers of any country outside the polar regions -- concentrated mainly in the Karakoram, Hindu Kush, and Himalayan ranges.
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Question 22 of 50
Rising global temperatures pose a particular threat to Pakistan's northern mountain regions primarily because of their impact on:
ExplanationPakistan's northern mountains host thousands of glaciers that feed its major rivers; rising temperatures accelerate glacial melt, threatening both immediate flood risks and the long-term reliability of downstream water supplies.
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Question 23 of 50
Under Pakistan's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) submitted under the Paris Agreement, the country has committed to a conditional reduction in projected greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, subject to international financial and technical support, of approximately:
ExplanationPakistan's updated Nationally Determined Contributions commit to reducing projected greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 50% by 2030, with roughly 15% achievable unconditionally and the remainder contingent on international financial and technical support.
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Question 24 of 50
The 2010 floods in Pakistan, at the time considered the country's most catastrophic flooding disaster, affected approximately what proportion of the country's land area?
ExplanationThe 2010 floods affected more than 20% of Pakistan's land area and around 20 million people, and were, until 2022, considered the most catastrophic flooding event in the country's history.
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Question 25 of 50
Pakistan's Eighteenth Constitutional Amendment (2010), by abolishing the Concurrent Legislative List, significantly affected environmental governance by:
ExplanationThe Eighteenth Amendment's abolition of the Concurrent Legislative List devolved environment (along with many other subjects) primarily to provincial jurisdiction, significantly reshaping Pakistan's environmental governance structure.
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Question 26 of 50
The Billion Tree Tsunami programme in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reached its target of planting/regenerating one billion trees:
ExplanationThe Billion Tree Tsunami programme achieved its ambitious one-billion-tree target in August 2017, months ahead of its original schedule, restoring approximately 350,000 hectares of forest and degraded land.
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Question 27 of 50
Pakistan's persistently high ranking in global climate vulnerability assessments is most directly explained by its:
ExplanationPakistan's vulnerability stems from its exposure to a combination of climate hazards -- floods, heatwaves, glacial melt, and water stress -- alongside economic and institutional constraints that limit its capacity to adapt.
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Question 28 of 50
The shrinking of mangrove forests along Pakistan's coastline, particularly in the Indus Delta region, is primarily attributed to:
ExplanationReduced freshwater flow reaching the Indus Delta -- due to upstream water use and reduced river discharge -- combined with increased seawater intrusion, has significantly contributed to the shrinking of Pakistan's coastal mangrove forests.
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Question 29 of 50
Pakistan's forest cover, as a percentage of total land area, is generally estimated to be around:
ExplanationPakistan's forest cover is estimated at only around 5% of its land area, well below both the global average (around 31%) and the 12% level recommended by the United Nations.
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Question 30 of 50
At the COP27 climate summit held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt in 2022, Pakistan played a leading role in securing international agreement to establish a dedicated:
ExplanationAt COP27 in 2022, Pakistan, chairing the Group of 77 and China, played a central role in securing consensus for the establishment of a dedicated Loss and Damage Fund to help vulnerable countries cope with climate-related losses.
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Question 31 of 50
Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, has in recent years experienced increasingly severe and deadly:
ExplanationKarachi has experienced increasingly severe and sometimes deadly heatwaves in recent years, a trend widely linked to both urban heat-island effects and broader climate change.
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Question 32 of 50
Beyond immediate physical damage, one of the significant secondary humanitarian impacts of the 2022 floods was the increased risk of:
ExplanationThe 2022 floods damaged water systems and left large areas of stagnant water, sharply increasing the risk of waterborne and vector-borne diseases among the millions of displaced and affected people.
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Question 33 of 50
Which Pakistani city has become most closely associated in recent years with severe seasonal smog crises, often recording among the world's worst air quality levels?
ExplanationLahore, Punjab's capital, has become internationally known for its severe seasonal smog crises, with air quality levels during peak smog season often ranking among the worst recorded globally.
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Question 34 of 50
Among Pakistan's provinces, which one holds the largest share of the country's total forest area?
ExplanationKhyber Pakhtunkhwa holds the largest share of Pakistan's total forest area (roughly one-third), owing to its extensive mountainous and temperate forest zones.
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Question 35 of 50
The 2022 floods in Pakistan are estimated to have directly affected approximately how many people?
ExplanationThe 2022 floods directly affected an estimated 33 million people -- more than the population of many countries -- making it one of the largest humanitarian disasters in Pakistan's history.
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Question 36 of 50
Deforestation in Pakistan has historically been driven mainly by factors including illegal logging, agricultural expansion, and:
ExplanationPakistan's deforestation has been driven by a combination of illegal logging, conversion of forest land for agriculture, high demand for fuelwood, and unplanned urban and infrastructure expansion.
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Question 37 of 50
A 2022 UN report cited in discussions of Pakistan's climate risk projected that, under a 'worst-case climate change scenario', Pakistan could face average annual economic losses equal to more than:
ExplanationA June 2022 UN report projected that, under a worst-case climate change scenario, Pakistan could face average annual economic losses exceeding 9% of its GDP -- underscoring the severity of the country's climate exposure.
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Question 38 of 50
Yale University's 2022 Environmental Performance Index ranked Pakistan close to the bottom of 180 countries assessed, reflecting particularly poor performance in the category of:
ExplanationThe 2022 Environmental Performance Index ranked Pakistan 176th out of 180 countries overall, including 175th specifically in the 'climate change mitigation' category, largely reflecting greenhouse gas emissions trends.
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Question 39 of 50
The Global Climate Risk Index, an influential index that has repeatedly ranked Pakistan among the most climate-vulnerable countries, is published annually by:
ExplanationThe Global Climate Risk Index is published by Germanwatch, a German environmental and development NGO, and has repeatedly placed Pakistan among the top ten most climate-vulnerable countries in the world.
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Question 40 of 50
The Pakistan Climate Change Act, 2017 also establishes a dedicated financial mechanism known as the:
ExplanationThe Act establishes the Pakistan Climate Change Fund to finance expenditures incurred by the Climate Change Authority in carrying out its functions, drawing on donations, endowments, and other sources.
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Question 41 of 50
Under the Pakistan Climate Change Act, 2017, the Pakistan Climate Change Authority's primary role is to:
ExplanationThe Pakistan Climate Change Authority is tasked with formulating comprehensive adaptation and mitigation policies, plans, programmes, and projects to address the effects of climate change and meet Pakistan's international obligations.
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Question 42 of 50
Under the Paris Agreement's framework, countries are required to periodically submit and update their climate action pledges, known as:
ExplanationThe Paris Agreement requires each signatory country to submit and periodically update its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), outlining national targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building climate resilience.
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Question 43 of 50
The Pakistan Climate Change Act, 2017 was enacted primarily to:
ExplanationThe Pakistan Climate Change Act, 2017 was enacted to help Pakistan meet its obligations under international conventions on climate change and to establish a dedicated institutional framework to address the country's climate challenges.
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Question 44 of 50
Pakistan's recent, devastating experience with catastrophic flooding significantly strengthened the country's moral and diplomatic case at COP27 for establishing the:
ExplanationThe scale of destruction from Pakistan's 2022 floods, which occurred just months before COP27, gave the country a powerful, firsthand example to support its advocacy for a dedicated Loss and Damage Fund.
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Question 45 of 50
The 'Billion Tree Tsunami', a landmark reforestation project launched in 2014, was implemented primarily in which province?
ExplanationThe Billion Tree Tsunami Afforestation Programme was launched in 2014 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, aiming to plant or naturally regenerate one billion trees to restore the province's depleted forests.
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Question 46 of 50
Pakistan's foundational environmental legislation, establishing the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency and National Environmental Quality Standards, is the:
ExplanationThe Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997 (PEPA) is the country's principal environmental legislation, establishing the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) and the framework for National Environmental Quality Standards.
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Question 47 of 50
Pakistan's first dedicated national policy document specifically addressing climate change was the:
ExplanationThe National Climate Change Policy of 2012 was Pakistan's first comprehensive policy document specifically dedicated to addressing the challenges of climate change.
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Question 48 of 50
The 'urban heat island effect', a factor worsening heatwave impacts in cities like Karachi and Lahore, refers to the tendency of urban areas to:
ExplanationThe urban heat island effect describes how cities, due to extensive concrete and asphalt surfaces and reduced vegetation cover, tend to retain significantly more heat than surrounding rural areas -- intensifying the impact of heatwaves on urban populations.
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Question 49 of 50
A major contributing cause of the severity of the 2022 floods, beyond exceptionally heavy monsoon rainfall, was accelerated melting of Pakistan's:
ExplanationIn addition to monsoon rains nearly double the normal amount, accelerated glacial melting -- linked to rising temperatures -- added significant additional water volume to the already-overflowing Indus River system during the 2022 floods.
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Question 50 of 50
Pakistan's coastal mangrove forests along the Indus Delta are ecologically significant partly because they represent one of the world's largest:
ExplanationThe mangrove forests of the Indus Delta are notable for being among the largest mangrove ecosystems found in an arid climate zone anywhere in the world, making their conservation ecologically significant.
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