Early Warning Systems for Weather and Climate Disasters

Statement 1 is Incorrect: Mangroves do not store freshwater, nor are they naturally suited for paddy cultivation. In fact, the clearing of mangrove forests to create agricultural land (like paddy fields) has historically been a primary driver of their destruction, rather than a reason for their protection. Statement 2 is Incorrect: Mangroves are halophytes, meaning they are highly salt-tolerant, not salt-sensitive. While their specialized root systems have ultrafiltration mechanisms to exclude salt, they do not convert coastal lands into freshwater zones. Furthermore, clearing mangroves for shrimp and aquaculture farms is a major threat to these ecosystems, not a conservation rationale. Statement 3 is Correct: In the context of climate resilience, mangroves act as natural bio-shields. Their dense root networks (such as stilt roots and pneumatophores) stabilize coastal soils and dissipate tidal energy, protecting coasts from storm surges and cyclones. Additionally, they are highly productive ecosystems that provide sustainable biomass resources (like timber, honey, and fish breeding grounds), forming a crucial livelihood base for rural coastal communities. Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

Statement 1 is Incorrect: The Rainfed Area Development (RAD) scheme explicitly promotes Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) rather than monoculture. It integrates multi-cropping and rotational cropping with allied activities like horticulture, livestock, fishery, and agro-forestry to diversify income and build resilience. Official guidelines actively discourage single-cropping (monoculture) systems. Statement 2 is Incorrect: As the name implies, RAD targets rainfed areas (regions lacking assured irrigation) to build resilience against climate variability. It does not focus on expanding water-intensive crops like rice in already irrigated regions. Statement 3 is Correct: The core objective of RAD is to make rainfed agriculture more productive, sustainable, remunerative, and climate-resilient. By diversifying income sources through Integrated Farming Systems (IFS), RAD aims to minimize the risks associated with climatic variability (such as droughts, heat stress, or floods) and crop failure, ensuring stable livelihoods for farmers. Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

The National Mission for Green India (GIM) is one of the eight Missions outlined under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). Mission Goals:
- To increase forest/tree cover to the extent of 5 million hectares (mha) and improve quality of forest/tree cover on another 5 mha of forest/non-forest lands;
- To improve/enhance ecosystem services like carbon sequestration and storage (in forests and other ecosystems), hydrological services and biodiversity; along with provisioning services like fuel, fodder, and timber and non-timber forest produces (NTFPs); and
- To increase forest-based livelihood income of about 3 million households.

At COP28, India chose not to sign the “Declaration on Climate and Health,” and this decision can be understood by analyzing the nature of the declaration and India’s concerns. ✅ Statement I: Correct. India did not sign the COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health, unlike over 120 other countries. ❌ Statement II: Incorrect. The declaration is not legally binding; it is a voluntary political commitment. Signing it does not legally mandate countries to decarbonize their health sectors immediately. ✅Statement III: Correct. India’s concern is that rapid decarbonization of its health sector could compromise the resilience and accessibility of healthcare services, given current developmental challenges and resource constraints. Therefore, only Statement III correctly explains Statement I, while Statement II is factually wrong about the binding nature of the declaration.

Statement I is Correct: India's Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) is indeed a crucial tool for achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. It outlines the strategic framework necessary for sectoral transitions in energy, transport, industry, and forestry to meet this long-term goal. Statement II is Incorrect: While India's 4th Biennial Update Report (BUR-4) does record an approximately 8% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 compared to 2019, this decrease is attributed to the economic slowdown and lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, not to structural or strategic efforts towards long-term emission reductions. Therefore, it does not empirically support the strategic framework of LT-LEDS. Statement III is Correct: The IPCC emphasizes that climate-resilient development depends on rapid, deep, and immediate emission reductions in the short term. This approach can be seen as contradicting the long-term focus of strategies like LT-LEDS if they do not also incorporate aggressive short-term actions. Therefore, the correct relationship is that Statement III contradicts the approach implicit in Statement I, making option B correct.