Theme T155 · Energy & Environment

Air pollution: smog, WHO guidelines, NCAP

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What UPSC asks

Questions ask why Delhi's pollution is worse than Mumbai or Kolkata, photochemical smog and the Gothenburg Protocol, WHO's 2021 guidelines, and NCAP.

Prepare these

• Delhi: geography, stubble burning, vehicles, inversion
• Photochemical smog chemistry
• WHO AQG 2021 changes
• NCAP targets and gaps

Answer writing

• Causes → measures

Directive words in these PYQs: Discuss (1), Explain (1), Describe (1), Compare (1), Why (1).

Linked themes

Builds on: study these first

These come earlier in the roadmap. Questions in this theme use them.

Syllabus lines covered

• GS1-L10 — Salient features of world's physical geography.
• GS1-L12 — Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc., geographical features and their location- changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
• GS3-L14 — Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

All 4 PYQs, newest first

1. GS3202210 marks · 150 wordsGS3-ENV-02-M2022-Q07

   Discuss in detail the photochemical smog emphasising its formation, effects and mitigation. Explain the 1999 Gothenburg Protocol.

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2. GS32021GS3-ENV-02-M2021-S01

   Describe the key points of the revised Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) recently released by the World Health Organisation (WHO). How are these different from its last update in 2005? What changes in India’s National Clean Air Programme are required to achieve revised standards?

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3. GS32020GS3-ENV-02-M2020-S01

   What are the key features of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) initiated by the government of India?

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4. GS12015GS1-GEO-02-M2015-S01

   Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata are the three mega cities of the country but the air pollution is much more serious problem in Delhi as compared to the other two. Why is this so?

   Also needs: T29 Atmosphere, air masses, winds, inversion, deserts & aurorasCopyReport a typo