Renowned Environmentalist Dr. Sunita Narain Passes Away
Dr. Sunita Narain, a leading Indian environmentalist and Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), has passed away.
2-Minute Summary (TL;DR)
- Dr. Sunita Narain was the Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
- She was a prominent voice in global climate change and air pollution advocacy.
- She edited the popular environmental magazine 'Down To Earth'.
- She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2005.
How This Topic is Tested in Competitive Exams
| Exam | Frequency | Approx. Marks | What Gets Asked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPSC / State PCS | Very High | 12–20 | Environment and Ecology is a separate section in UPSC Prelims. GS-III includes environment, climate change, and disaster management. |
| SSC (CGL / CHSL / MTS) | High | 3–5 | National parks, Ramsar sites, pollution levels, and climate summits appear in SSC GK. |
| State PCS / PSC | High | 5–8 | State PCS papers test both central environment policy and state-specific conservation achievements. |
What to Memorize from This Topic
- New Ramsar sites, UNESCO sites, Biosphere Reserves: name, state/country, reason for designation
- Climate summit outcomes: COP targets, India's commitments, new agreements
- Pollution data: India's air quality rank, river clean-up updates, plastic ban updates
- Endangered species: IUCN category, habitat, threats, conservation project
- Environmental laws and policies: recent amendments to Environment Protection Act, Forest Rights Act
Practice Questions
Q1. Dr. Sunita Narain was associated with which organization?
- Greenpeace India
- Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)
- TERI
- WWF India
Explanation: Dr. Sunita Narain was the long-time Director General of the CSE.
Q2. Which magazine was edited by Dr. Sunita Narain?
- Frontline
- Down To Earth
- Economic and Political Weekly
- India Today
Explanation: She was the editor of 'Down To Earth', a fortnightly magazine on environment and development.
How to Prepare Environment for Government Exams
Ramsar sites and World Heritage Site additions are announced annually. Compile the year's additions — they are direct exam questions.
For UPSC, understand the international treaty context: Paris Agreement, CBD, CITES, Ramsar — know what each treaty does.
Climate news = policy news. Always note the government response to any environmental event — that's what UPSC Mains tests.
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