Daily Current Affairs MCQs — 18 August 2026
UPSC & State PCS | 15 High-Quality Practice Questions
These questions are based primarily on today's high-priority themes: UNCCD COP17, Land Degradation Neutrality, rangelands, Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, BRICS energy cooperation, CCUS, and elephant conservation.
1. With reference to UNCCD, consider the following statements:
- It deals with desertification, land degradation and drought.
- It is one of the three Rio Conventions.
- Its COP17 is being held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
- UNCCD is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: B
Explanation: Statements 1, 2 and 3 are correct. UNCCD's secretariat is headquartered in Bonn, Germany, not Geneva. COP17 is being held in Ulaanbaatar from 17–28 August 2026.
2. Consider the following pairs:
| Convention | Primary Focus |
|---|---|
| 1. UNFCCC | Climate Change |
| 2. CBD | Biological Diversity |
| 3. UNCCD | Desertification and Land Degradation |
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
A. Only one
B. Only two
C. All three
D. None
Answer: C
Explanation: All three are correctly matched. They constitute the three major Rio Conventions.
3. Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) is most directly associated with which of the following Sustainable Development Goal targets?
A. SDG Target 6.6
B. SDG Target 12.2
C. SDG Target 13.2
D. SDG Target 15.3
Answer: D
Explanation: SDG Target 15.3 calls for combating desertification, restoring degraded land and soil and striving to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.
4. Which of the following best represents the hierarchy generally associated with addressing land degradation?
A. Restore → Exploit → Compensate
B. Avoid → Reduce → Reverse
C. Reduce → Industrialise → Restore
D. Afforest → Urbanise → Conserve
Answer: B
Explanation: The approach prioritises avoiding degradation first, reducing unavoidable degradation and reversing past degradation through restoration.
5. With reference to the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP), consider the following statements:
- The United Nations designated 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists.
- Rangelands may include grasslands, savannas and shrublands.
- All rangelands are degraded forests that require afforestation.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: B
Explanation: Statement 3 is incorrect. Many rangelands are naturally open ecosystems, not degraded forests.
6. Consider the following statements regarding India's Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs):
- They can include grasslands and savannas.
- Low tree cover necessarily indicates ecological degradation.
- They may support specialised biodiversity.
- Some can store considerable carbon in soils and root systems.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 3 and 4 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: B
Explanation: Statement 2 is incorrect. A naturally open ecosystem should not automatically be considered degraded merely because it has few trees.
7. Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) is implemented primarily by:
A. Ministry of Home Affairs
B. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
C. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
D. Ministry of Women and Child Development
Answer: C
Explanation: NMBA is led by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and focuses on drug-demand reduction through awareness, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.
8. With reference to Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, consider the following statements:
- It was launched in 2020.
- It addresses drug-demand reduction.
- NMBA 2.0 includes a mobile application that can help users locate de-addiction centres.
- Its approach is restricted exclusively to criminal prosecution of drug users.
Which statements are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. All four
Answer: B
Explanation: NMBA follows a broader social justice and public-health approach, including awareness, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. It is not restricted to criminal prosecution.
9. Article 47 of the Constitution of India is most closely associated with:
A. Environmental protection
B. Organisation of village panchayats
C. Improvement of public health
D. Protection of monuments
Answer: C
Explanation: Article 47 is a Directive Principle of State Policy dealing with improvement of nutrition, standard of living and public health, and also refers to intoxicating drinks and drugs injurious to health.
10. With reference to BRICS in 2026, consider the following statements:
- India holds the BRICS Chairship in 2026.
- Indonesia is a member of BRICS.
- BRICS cooperation includes an Energy Track.
- The 2026 BRICS Energy Track includes discussions concerning energy security and technological innovation.
Which statements are correct?
A. 1 and 3 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 2 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: D
Explanation: All four are correct. India's 2026 chairship includes energy cooperation covering energy security, access, sustainability and technology/innovation.
11. CCUS, increasingly discussed in energy-transition strategies, stands for:
A. Carbon Control and Underground Sequestration
B. Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage
C. Climate Capture and Utility Storage
D. Carbon Conversion and Urban Sustainability
Answer: B
Explanation: CCUS = Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage. It involves capturing CO₂ and either using it or storing it to prevent its release into the atmosphere.
12. Consider the following sectors:
- Cement
- Iron and steel
- Chemicals
CCUS is particularly discussed as a potential decarbonisation option for how many of the above?
A. Only one
B. Only two
C. All three
D. None
Answer: C
Explanation: CCUS is frequently discussed for hard-to-abate industrial sectors, including cement, iron and steel, and parts of the chemical industry.
13. With reference to elephant corridors in India, consider the following statements:
- They facilitate movement between larger elephant habitats.
- They can contribute to genetic exchange between elephant populations.
- Fragmentation of corridors can intensify human-elephant conflict.
- Elephant conservation can be achieved entirely within national parks without maintaining landscape connectivity.
Which statements are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: B
Explanation: Statement 4 is incorrect. Elephants use extensive landscapes, making habitat connectivity and corridors important beyond individual protected areas.
14. Consider the following pairs:
| Provision/Programme | Association |
|---|---|
| 1. Article 48A | Environment and wildlife |
| 2. Article 51A(g) | Fundamental Duty concerning environment |
| 3. Project Elephant | Launched in 1992 |
| 4. Article 47 | Public health |
How many pairs are correctly matched?
A. Only one
B. Only two
C. Only three
D. All four
Answer: D
Explanation: All four are correctly matched. This is an important Polity + Environment + Social Issues combination for Prelims.
15. Consider the following statements:
- Ecosystem restoration does not necessarily mean tree plantation in every landscape.
- Naturally occurring grasslands may support specialised biodiversity.
- Pastoral mobility can function as an adaptation strategy in variable dryland environments.
- Conservation policy should necessarily exclude traditional ecological knowledge in favour of modern scientific management.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: B
Explanation: Statement 4 is incorrect. Scientific knowledge and traditional ecological knowledge can complement each other. Ecosystem-specific restoration is especially important for naturally open ecosystems.
Quick Answer Key
| Q | Ans | Q | Ans | Q | Ans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | 6 | B | 11 | B |
| 2 | C | 7 | C | 12 | C |
| 3 | D | 8 | B | 13 | B |
| 4 | B | 9 | C | 14 | D |
| 5 | B | 10 | D | 15 | B |
