How To Study Environment For IAS Exam?

Environment is a term which is widely discussed all over the world, and UPSC question papers year after year are proving that Environment and related areas are a must-know for every Civil Services aspirant. Questions from Environment touch areas of basic understanding as well as hot topics of current importance like Global warming, Urban Heat Islands, Endangered species, Genetic pollution, recent climate summits etc.

 

Topics of Importance: Environment for UPSC Civil Services

Prioritizing sub-topics in environment is important to crack IAS prelims/mains. The topics of priority are as below.

·         Ecology related aspects: Be familiar with concepts like Ecosystem, Keystone species, Niche, Food chain, Food web etc.

·         Biodiversity related aspects : Be familiar with question-heavy areas like flora and fauna, endangered species, wild life parks, sanctuaries, bio-diversity hot-spots, biosphere reserves, IUCN, summits etc.

·         Climate change/Environment degradation related aspects: Be familiar topics like with global warming, ozone whole depletion, acid rain etc. Also note down important points, when you hear news related to conventions or protocols like Ramset Convention, Montreal Protocol, and Kyoto Protocol etc.

 

Useful Books for Environment

1.       CSAT: Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change (Paper – 1)

2.       CSAT Environmental Ecology Biodiversity & Climate Change – Pratiyogita Darpan

3.       Environmental Studies from Crisis to Cure 2nd Edition – R.Rajagoplan (Helpful for Mains)

4.       UGC NET/SET Environmental Sciences Guide – R. Gupta

5.       Textbook of Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses – Erach Bharucha

6.       UGC-NET: Environmental Sciences (Paper I, II & III) – R.Gupta

7.       Objective Environmental Sciences – B. B. Singh (Objective – For Prelims)

8.       Environmental Studies – Benny Joseph

PS : Use online resources like IUCN website, Website of Ministry of Environment and Forests etc. extensively. You should also check websites of national and international organizations related to ecology and biodiversity (A few suggestions include Wetlands International, WWF etc.) At this online age, no preparation is complete without using online resources. Also, check latest reports and statistics related to environment or wildlife too.

 

Terms related with Environment (Quick Check List of Topics)

PS : List of basic topics to be referred in relation with Environment is listed below. (Reference :Wikipedia)

 

Climate change —

·         Global warming

·         Global dimming

·         Fossil fuels

·         Sea level rise

·         Greenhouse gas

·         Ocean acidification

·         Shutdown of thermohaline circulation

·         Environmental impact of the coal industry

·         Urban Heat Islands

 

Conservation —

·         Species extinction

·         Pollinator decline

·         Coral bleaching

·         Holocene extinction

·         Invasive species

·         Poaching

·         Endangered species

 

Energy —

·         Energy conservation

·         Renewable energy

·         Efficient energy use

·         Renewable energy commercialization

·         Environmental impact of the coal industry

·         Environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing

 

Environmental degradation —

·         Eutrophication

·         Habitat destruction

·         Invasive species

 

Environmental health —

·         Air quality

·         Asthma

·         Environmental impact of the coal industry

·         Electromagnetic fields

·         Electromagnetic radiation and health

·         Indoor air quality

·         Lead poisoning

·         Sick Building Syndrome

·         Environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing

 

Genetic engineering —

·         Genetic Pollution.

·         Genetically modified food controversies.

 

Intensive farming —

·         Overgrazing

·         Irrigation

·         Mono-culture

·         Environmental effects of meat production

·         Slash and burn

·         Pesticide drift

·         Plasticulture

 

Land degradation —

·         Land pollution

·         Desertification

 

Soil —

·         Soil conservation

·         Soil erosion

·         Soil contamination

·         Soil salination

 

Land use —

·         Urban sprawl • Habitat fragmentation • Habitat destruction

·         Nanotechnology — Nan toxicology • Nan pollution

 

Nuclear issues —

·         Nuclear fallout • Nuclear meltdown • Nuclear power • Nuclear weapons • Nuclear and radiation accidents • Nuclear safety • High-level radioactive waste management

 

Overpopulation —

·         Burial • Water crisis • Overpopulation in companion animals • Tragedy of the commons • Gender Imbalance in Developing Countries • Sub-replacement fertility levels in developed countries

 

Ozone depletion —

·         CFC • Biological effects of UV exposure

 

Pollution —

·         Environmental impact of the coal industry • Nonpoint source pollution • Point source pollution • Light pollution • Noise pollution • Visual pollution

 

Water pollution —

·         Environmental impact of the coal industry • Acid rain • Eutrophication • Marine pollution • Ocean dumping • Oil spills • Thermal pollution • Urban runoff • Water crisis • Marine debris • Micro plastics • Ocean acidification • Ship pollution • Waste water • Fish kill • Algal bloom • Mercury in fish • Environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing

 

Air pollution —

·         Environmental impact of the coal industry • Smog • Troposphere ozone • Indoor air quality • Volatile organic compound • Atmospheric particulate matter• Environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing

 

Reservoirs —

·         Environmental impacts of reservoirs

 

Resource depletion —

·         Exploitation of natural resources • Over drafting

 

Consumerism —

·         Consumer capitalism • Planned obsolescence • Over-consumption

 

Fishing —

·         Blast fishing • Bottom trawling • Cyanide fishing • Ghost nets • Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing • Overfishing • Shark fining • Whaling

 

Logging —

·         Clear cutting • Deforestation • Illegal logging

 

Mining —

·         Acid mine drainage • Environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing • Mountaintop removal mining • Slurry impoundments

 

Toxins —

·         Chlorofluorocarbons • DDT • Endocrine disruptors • Dioxin • Toxic heavy metals • Environmental impact of the coal industry • Herbicides • Pesticides • Toxic waste • PCB • Bioaccumulation • Biomagnifications• Environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing

 

Waste —

·         Electronic waste

·         Litter

·         Waste disposal incidents

·         Marine debris

·         Medical waste

·         Landfill

·         Leach ate

·         Environmental impact of the coal industry

·         Incineration

·         Great Pacific Garbage Patch

·         Exporting of hazardous waste

·         Environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing