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UPSC Notes

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) & Cumulative Impact Assessment

PYQs

8

Articles

1

Momentum

21

Phase IFoundation

Background

Overview

EIA is a critical tool for environmental governance and sustainable development, frequently examined by UPSC regarding its process, effectiveness, and challenges in India. The article highlights common shortcomings like inadequate cumulative impact assessment and lack of public participation, making it highly relevant for GS3 (Environment) and GS2 (Governance).

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a statutory process to evaluate the likely environmental, social, and economic impacts of a proposed project or development, ensuring sustainable decision-making. Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) extends this by considering the combined effects of multiple past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions.

Phase IIStatic core

Facts & tables

Key facts

Demand for Scientific Proof

Local communities in Mannar lack scientific evidence for project impacts but demand authorities provide research ruling out harm.

Cumulative Impact Concerns

Concerns are raised about the 'cumulative impact' of multiple concurrent projects (wind power, aquaculture, sand mining) on the environment.

Call for Comprehensive Studies

Activists call for a comprehensive study of risks, highlighting that individual EIAs may not capture the broader, combined effects.

Transparency & Trust

Lack of transparency and consultation from authorities leads to speculation and distrust regarding environmental risks.

Reference table

Static syllabus anchors

TypeReference
Conceptual areaEnvironmental Governance
Conceptual areaPrecautionary Principle
Phase IIIExam lens

Prelims angle

Overview

Prelims angle: Multi-statement analysis

Prelims angle: Conceptual understanding

Quick revision

  • EIA assesses project-specific environmental impacts.
  • CIA considers combined effects of multiple projects over time/space.
  • Lack of comprehensive studies and transparency erodes public trust.
  • Community input is crucial for identifying local impacts.
  • Essential for robust environmental governance and sustainable development.

High-confidence PYQs

2026Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding

Consider the following statements with reference to India's response to climate change : I. India's Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) is...

Environment & EcologyOpen question

At the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) held in June, 2025 in France, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations demonstrated i...

Environment & EcologyOpen question

Which of the following statements in relation to NIRANTAR (National Institute for Research and Application of Natural Resources to Transform, Adapt and Build...

Environment & EcologyOpen question
2026Factual recall, Terminology-based question

Consider the following statements with reference to India's response to climate change : I. India's Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) is...

Environment & EcologyOpen question

At the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) held in June, 2025 in France, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations demonstrated i...

Environment & EcologyOpen question

Which of the following statements in relation to NIRANTAR (National Institute for Research and Application of Natural Resources to Transform, Adapt and Build...

Environment & EcologyOpen question
2026Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall

Consider the following statements with reference to India's response to climate change : I. India's Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) is...

Environment & EcologyOpen question

At the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) held in June, 2025 in France, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations demonstrated i...

Environment & EcologyOpen question

Which of the following statements in relation to NIRANTAR (National Institute for Research and Application of Natural Resources to Transform, Adapt and Build...

Environment & EcologyOpen question
2025Statement-based questions, Institutional roles and functions

Consider the following statements: I. The Reserve Bank of India mandates all the listed companies in India to submit a Business Responsibility and Sustainab...

EconomyOpen question
2023Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall

With reference to coal-based thermal power plants in India, consider the following statements : 1. None of them uses seawater. 2. None of them is set up in w...

GeographyOpen question
2019Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding

Consider the following statements : The Environment Protection Act, 1986 empowers the Government of India to 1. state the requirement of public participati...

Environment & EcologyOpen question
2017Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding

It is possible to produce algae-based biofuels, but what is/are the likely limitation(s) of developing countries in promoting this industry? 1. Production o...

Science & TechnologyOpen question
2015Statement-based questions, Multi-statement analysis

With reference to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Spe...

Environment & EcologyOpen question

Topic timeline

Environmental GovernancePrecautionary Principle
Prelims 2015· Statement-based questions, Multi-statement analysis

With reference to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Spe...

Open question
Prelims 2017· Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding

It is possible to produce algae-based biofuels, but what is/are the likely limitation(s) of developing countries in promoting this industry? 1. Production o...

Open question
Prelims 2019· Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding

Consider the following statements : The Environment Protection Act, 1986 empowers the Government of India to 1. state the requirement of public participati...

Open question
Prelims 2023· Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall

With reference to coal-based thermal power plants in India, consider the following statements : 1. None of them uses seawater. 2. None of them is set up in w...

Open question
Prelims 2025· Statement-based questions, Institutional roles and functions

Consider the following statements: I. The Reserve Bank of India mandates all the listed companies in India to submit a Business Responsibility and Sustainab...

Open question
Prelims 2026· Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding

Consider the following statements with reference to India's response to climate change : I. India's Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) is...

Open question

At the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) held in June, 2025 in France, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations demonstrated i...

Open question

Which of the following statements in relation to NIRANTAR (National Institute for Research and Application of Natural Resources to Transform, Adapt and Build...

Open question
Prelims 2026· Factual recall, Terminology-based question

Consider the following statements with reference to India's response to climate change : I. India's Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) is...

Open question

At the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) held in June, 2025 in France, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations demonstrated i...

Open question

Which of the following statements in relation to NIRANTAR (National Institute for Research and Application of Natural Resources to Transform, Adapt and Build...

Open question
Prelims 2026· Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall

Consider the following statements with reference to India's response to climate change : I. India's Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) is...

Open question

At the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) held in June, 2025 in France, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations demonstrated i...

Open question

Which of the following statements in relation to NIRANTAR (National Institute for Research and Application of Natural Resources to Transform, Adapt and Build...

Open question

Amid Sri Lanka’s green energy push, communities in Mannar fear environmental fallout

25 Aug 2026 · The article underscores the limitations of current environmental assessments in Sri Lanka's green energy push, with communities demanding scientific proof and comprehensive studies, particularly on the cumulative impact of multiple development projects, highlighting issues of transparency and public trust in EIA processes.

Read article

Related topics

Current topic

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) & Cumulative Impact Assessment

Often confused with

Global Economic Governance and Development

Open notesOften confused with

Judiciary's Role in Environmental Governance

Open notes

Practice writing on this topic

UPSC has asked 8 linked questions on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) & Cumulative Impact Assessment in Mains. Write an answer to one — and get it evaluated.

See Mains PYQsEvaluate an answer

UPSC Prelims PYQs on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) & Cumulative Impact Assessment

Practice official previous year questions asked by UPSC related to this concept.

Consider the following statements with reference to India's response to climate change : I. India's Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) is...

2026·Environment & Ecology
Solve

Consider the following statements : The Environment Protection Act, 1986 empowers the Government of India to 1. state the requirement of public participati...

2019·Environment & Ecology
Solve

With reference to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Spe...

2015·Environment & Ecology
Solve

It is possible to produce algae-based biofuels, but what is/are the likely limitation(s) of developing countries in promoting this industry? 1. Production o...

2017·Science & Technology
Solve

Consider the following statements: I. The Reserve Bank of India mandates all the listed companies in India to submit a Business Responsibility and Sustainab...

2025·Economy
Solve

With reference to coal-based thermal power plants in India, consider the following statements : 1. None of them uses seawater. 2. None of them is set up in w...

2023·Geography
Solve

At the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) held in June, 2025 in France, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations demonstrated i...

2026·Environment & Ecology
Solve

Which of the following statements in relation to NIRANTAR (National Institute for Research and Application of Natural Resources to Transform, Adapt and Build...

2026·Environment & Ecology
Solve

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