UPSC Prelims 2024 · GS Paper I
Question 16: Environment and Ecology
One of the following regions has the world's largest tropical peatland, which holds about three years worth of global carbon emissions from fossil fuels; and the possible destruction of which can exert detrimental effect on the global climate. Which one of the following denotes that region ?
AnswerUPSC’s answer is (b).
The Congo Basin, in the central Congo (the Cuvette Centrale), holds the world's largest tropical peatland, storing roughly 30 billion tonnes of carbon, about three years of global fossil fuel emissions. Draining or burning these peatlands would release that carbon and worsen climate change. Remember: the Congo Basin is the largest tropical peatland, and Indonesia's peatlands are the best known for fires.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Wrong: the Amazon Basin has peatlands, but the world's largest tropical peatland is in the Congo Basin.
- (b) Right: the Congo Basin holds the world's largest tropical peatland.
- (c) Wrong: Kikori Basin in Papua New Guinea is a smaller river basin and not the largest peatland.
- (d) Wrong: the Rio de la Plata Basin is not known for tropical peatland.
Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2024, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.