Environment Laws, Conventions, Renewable Energy and Disasters
Environment Laws, Conventions, Renewable Energy and Disasters
This topic ties together the rules that protect the environment: Indian laws, international treaties, clean energy and disaster management. NTPC asks the year of each act, which treaty deals with which problem (ozone, climate, wetlands, biodiversity), India's renewable energy position and the bodies that respond to disasters.
1. Indian Environmental Laws
| Law | Year | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| Wildlife (Protection) Act | 1972 | Schedules of protected species |
| Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act | 1974 | Created the Central Pollution Control Board |
| Forest (Conservation) Act | 1980 | Central approval needed to divert forest land |
| Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act | 1981 | Air pollution control |
| Environment (Protection) Act | 1986 | Umbrella law passed after the Bhopal gas tragedy |
| Biological Diversity Act | 2002 | National Biodiversity Authority, Chennai |
| Disaster Management Act | 2005 | NDMA, chaired by the Prime Minister |
| National Green Tribunal Act | 2010 | Special court for environmental cases |
2. International Conventions
| Convention | Year | Subject |
|---|---|---|
| Ramsar Convention | 1971 | Wetlands (signed at Ramsar, Iran) |
| Stockholm Conference | 1972 | First UN environment conference; UNEP created; 5 June became World Environment Day |
| CITES | 1973 | Trade in endangered species |
| Vienna Convention | 1985 | Framework for ozone layer protection |
| Montreal Protocol | 1987 | Phasing out ozone-depleting substances such as CFCs |
| Kigali Amendment | 2016 | Phasing down HFCs under the Montreal Protocol |
| Rio Earth Summit | 1992 | UNFCCC and the Convention on Biological Diversity |
| Kyoto Protocol | 1997 | Binding emission cuts for developed countries |
| Paris Agreement | 2015 | Keep warming well below 2 °C, aim for 1.5 °C; nationally determined contributions |
| Basel Convention | 1989 | Hazardous waste movement |
| COP30 | 2025 | Belém, Brazil; COP31 is due at Antalya, Türkiye |
3. Renewable Energy and Disaster Management
| Item | Fact |
|---|---|
| Largest renewable source in India by installed capacity | Solar |
| Leading state in solar capacity | Rajasthan (Bhadla Solar Park) |
| Khavda Renewable Energy Park | Gujarat; planned at 30 GW |
| Non-fossil target | 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030 |
| International Solar Alliance | Launched by India and France in 2015; headquarters Gurugram |
| National Green Hydrogen Mission | 2023; target of 5 million tonnes a year by 2030 |
| PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana | 2024; rooftop solar for one crore households |
| NDRF | National Disaster Response Force, raised in 2006 under the 2005 Act |
| Sendai Framework | Global disaster risk reduction plan, 2015 to 2030 |
| CDRI | Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, launched by India in 2019 |
✗ The Montreal Protocol deals with greenhouse gas emissions | ✓ Montreal deals with ozone-depleting substances; Kyoto and Paris deal with greenhouse gases
✗ The Ramsar Convention protects deserts | ✓ Ramsar protects wetlands
हिंदी नोट: मॉन्ट्रियल प्रोटोकॉल (1987) ओज़ोन परत को नुकसान पहुँचाने वाले पदार्थों को खत्म करने के लिए है; पेरिस समझौता (2015) जलवायु परिवर्तन पर है। भारत में स्थापित क्षमता के अनुसार सबसे बड़ा नवीकरणीय स्रोत सौर ऊर्जा है। एनडीआरएफ का गठन 2006 में हुआ।
Exam Pointer: Verified NTPC patterns: the agreement on ozone-depleting substances (August 2025 UG CBT-1), the climate agreement India reaffirmed (March 2026 Graduate CBT-1), the renewable source with the largest installed capacity (September 2025 UG CBT-1) and the year NDRF was formed (September 2025 UG CBT-1).
Pariksha Pattern: Every Way NTPC Asks This Topic
Pattern 1: Ozone treaties
[PYQ: NTPC UG CBT-1 14-Aug-2025 Shift-1]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Which treaty was signed in 1987 to phase out ozone-depleting substances?
The Montreal Protocol.
Answer: Montreal Protocol
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Which 2016 amendment brought HFCs under the ozone treaty, and why were HFCs targeted though they do not harm ozone?
The Kigali Amendment. HFCs replaced CFCs and do not deplete ozone, but they are powerful greenhouse gases.
Answer: Kigali Amendment; HFCs are strong greenhouse gases
Pattern 2: Climate agreements
[PYQ: NTPC Graduate CBT-1 22-Mar-2026 Shift-3]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. What temperature goal does the Paris Agreement set?
Keep global warming well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5 °C.
Answer: Well below 2 °C, aiming for 1.5 °C
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Arrange in order of year: Kyoto Protocol, Rio Earth Summit, Paris Agreement, Stockholm Conference. Where was COP30 held?
Stockholm 1972, Rio 1992, Kyoto 1997, Paris 2015. COP30 was held at Belém, Brazil, in November 2025.
Answer: Stockholm, Rio, Kyoto, Paris; Belém
Pattern 3: Renewable energy in India
[PYQ: NTPC UG CBT-1 3-Sep-2025 Shift-1]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Which renewable energy source has the largest installed capacity in India?
Solar power.
Answer: Solar
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Which two countries launched the International Solar Alliance, and where is its headquarters? What is India's 2030 target for non-fossil capacity?
India and France launched it in 2015; its headquarters is at Gurugram. India targets 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030.
Answer: India and France, Gurugram; 500 GW
Pattern 4: Disaster management bodies and laws
[PYQ: NTPC UG CBT-1 1-Sep-2025 Shift-1]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Who chairs the National Disaster Management Authority?
The Prime Minister.
Answer: The Prime Minister
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Under which act was the NDRF created, and in which year was it raised? Which umbrella environment law followed the Bhopal gas tragedy?
The NDRF was created under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and raised in 2006. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, followed the Bhopal tragedy.
Answer: Disaster Management Act 2005, raised 2006; Environment (Protection) Act 1986
60-Second Revision
- Acts: Wildlife 1972, Water 1974, Forest 1980, Air 1981, EPA 1986, Biodiversity 2002, DM 2005, NGT 2010.
- Montreal 1987 ozone; Kigali 2016 HFCs; Kyoto 1997; Paris 2015; Ramsar 1971 wetlands.
- Solar is India's largest renewable source; ISA Gurugram; 500 GW non-fossil by 2030.
- NDMA chaired by PM; NDRF raised 2006; COP30 Belém 2025.
Next Step: Environment done. Attempt the environment questions in the ExamAtlas RRB NTPC 2026 mock tests; treaty and year questions are quick marks.