The Core Books

Ch 7 Environment and Sustainable Development

Written by

Sri

in

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Class 11 • Indian Economic Development

NCERT Class 11 Economics Chapter 7 Questions (MCQ, One-Word or Descriptive)

This page provides complete NCERT Class 11 Indian Economic Development Chapter 7 questions, including MCQs, one-word and descriptive questions. All questions are extracted line-by-line from NCERT for full syllabus coverage and exam preparation.

This chapter, Environment and Sustainable Development, examines the critical relationship between economic development and environmental quality. It defines environment as the total planetary inheritance including biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) elements.

The environment performs four vital functions: supplying resources (renewable and non-renewable), assimilating waste, sustaining life through biodiversity, and providing aesthetic services. Environmental crisis occurs when resource extraction exceeds regeneration rates and waste generation exceeds the absorptive capacity of the environment.

Global issues like global warming (temperature rise of 0.6°C in past century, CO₂ up 31%, methane up 149% since pre-industrial levels) and ozone depletion (caused by CFCs, banned by Montreal Protocol) are discussed.

In India, per capita forest land is only 0.06 hectare against requirement of 0.47 hectare, soil erosion is 5.3 billion tonnes annually, and seventy per cent of water is polluted. The number of motor vehicles increased from 3 lakh in 1951 to 35 crore in 2022, with two-wheelers and cars constituting 85% of vehicles.

The chapter then introduces sustainable development : defined by UNCED as development that meets present needs without compromising future generations’ ability to meet their own needs. The Brundtland Commission’s “Our Common Future” report emphasises intergenerational equity and meeting basic needs of the poor.

Herman Daly’s conditions include limiting population within carrying capacity, ensuring extraction does not exceed regeneration for renewable resources, and depletion of non-renewables not exceeding creation of renewable substitutes.

The UN formulated 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015 for achievement by 2030. Strategies for sustainable development in India include: use of non-conventional energy (wind, solar, CNG : Delhi’s public transport uses CNG, reducing air pollution); gobar gas plants in rural areas (providing clean fuel and organic fertiliser); organic farming (using compost, vermicompost, neem-based biopest control, and natural predators like snakes, owls, peacocks, and lizards); and recycling of waste.

The chapter concludes that economic development without environmental concern leads to crisis, and a conscious path of sustainable development is essential for lasting progress and non-declining welfare for all.

Topics Covered:

Section A: Descriptive Questions

  1. What is environment? Page 116
  2. What are the four vital functions of the environment? Page 116
  3. What is meant by absorptive capacity of the environment? Page 117
  4. What is global warming? (Box 7.1) Page 118
  5. What is ozone depletion? (Box 7.2) Page 119
  6. What is the Chipko Movement? (Box 7.3) Page 121
  7. What are the major factors responsible for land degradation in India? Page 122
  8. What is the per capita forest land in India and what is the requirement? Page 122
  9. How much soil is eroded annually in India and what nutrients are lost? Page 122
  10. What is the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and when was it set up? (Box 7.4) Page 123
  11. What is sustainable development according to UNCED? Page 124
  12. What are Herman Daly’s requirements for achieving sustainable development? Page 125
  13. Why should we use non-conventional sources of energy? Give examples. Page 125-126
  14. What is organic farming and why is it being encouraged? Page 127-128
  15. What are the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? When were they formulated? Page 125
  16. What is the ‘Appiko’ movement mentioned in Box 7.3? Page 121
  17. Why has water become an economic commodity according to the chapter? Page 117
  18. What is the carrying capacity of the environment as explained by Herman Daly? Page 125
  19. What is the role of the Pollution Control Boards (Box 7.4)? Page 123

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Section B1: Objective MCQs

Page 122

What percentage of the world’s geographical area does India occupy?

A) 2.50%B) 5%C) 7.50%D) 10%
View Answer
Correct Answer: 2.50%
Reference: NCERT Page 122
Page 122

What percentage of the world’s human population does India support?

A) 10%B) 17%C) 20%D) 25%
View Answer
Correct Answer: 17%
Reference: NCERT Page 122
Page 122

What percentage of the world’s livestock population does India support?

A) 10%B) 15%C) 20%D) 25%
View Answer
Correct Answer: 20%
Reference: NCERT Page 122
Page 122

How much forest is felled above the permissible limit annually in India?

A) 5 million cubic metresB) 10 million cubic metresC) 15 million cubic metresD) 20 million cubic metres
View Answer
Correct Answer: 15 million cubic metres
Reference: NCERT Page 122
Page 123

How many motor vehicles were there in India in 2022?

A) 3 lakhB) 35 lakhC) 3 croreD) 35 crore
View Answer
Correct Answer: 35 crore
Reference: NCERT Page 123
Page 123

Two-wheelers and cars constitute what percentage of total registered vehicles in India?

A) 55%B) 65%C) 75%D) 85%
View Answer
Correct Answer: 85%
Reference: NCERT Page 123
Page 123-124

How many categories of significantly polluting industries has CPCB identified?

A) 7B) 12C) 17D) 22
View Answer
Correct Answer: 17
Reference: NCERT Page 123-124
Page 126

In Delhi, buses and public transport vehicles use which fuel to reduce air pollution?

A) PetrolB) DieselC) CNGD) Electricity
View Answer
Correct Answer: CNG
Reference: NCERT Page 126
Page 118

The atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has increased by what percentage above pre-industrial levels since 1750? (Box 7.1)

A) 15%B) 31%C) 45%D) 60%
View Answer
Correct Answer: 31%
Reference: NCERT Page 118
Page 118

The atmospheric concentration of methane (CH4) has increased by what percentage above pre-industrial levels since 1750? (Box 7.1)

A) 50%B) 100%C) 149%D) 200%
View Answer
Correct Answer: 149%
Reference: NCERT Page 118
Page 118

During the past century, atmospheric temperature has risen by

A) 0.3°CB) 0.6°CC) 1.0°CD) 1.5°C
View Answer
Correct Answer: 0.6°C (1.1°F)
Reference: NCERT Page 118
Page 121

On 8 September 1983, how many people hugged trees in Salkani forest in Sirsi district? (Box 7.3)

A) 50B) 100C) 160D) 200
View Answer
Correct Answer: 160
Reference: NCERT Page 121
Page 121

How many trees were saved in the Appiko movement incident? (Box 7.3)

A) 5,000B) 8,000C) 10,000D) 12,000
View Answer
Correct Answer: 12,000
Reference: NCERT Page 121
Page 121

In the Appiko movement, within what distance of a water source should trees not be felled according to volunteers’ demands? (Box 7.3)

A) 50 metresB) 100 metresC) 200 metresD) 500 metres
View Answer
Correct Answer: 100 metres
Reference: NCERT Page 121
Page 121

On what slope degree or above should trees not be felled according to Appiko volunteers? (Box 7.3)

A) 15 degreesB) 20 degreesC) 25 degreesD) 30 degrees
View Answer
Correct Answer: 30 degrees or above
Reference: NCERT Page 121
Page 124

Which conference emphasised the concept of sustainable development?

A) Kyoto ConferenceB) Stockholm ConferenceC) UNCED (Rio Conference)D) Paris Agreement
View Answer
Correct Answer: UNCED (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development)
Reference: NCERT Page 124
Page 124

The seminal report ‘Our Common Future’ is also known as

A) Stern ReportB) Brundtland Commission ReportC) Rio ReportD) Kyoto Protocol
View Answer
Correct Answer: Brundtland Commission Report
Reference: NCERT Page 124
Page 124-125

According to Edward Barbier, sustainable development aims at decreasing which of the following?

A) Absolute poverty of the poorB) Relative povertyC) Income inequalityD) Unemployment
View Answer
Correct Answer: Absolute poverty of the poor
Reference: NCERT Page 124-125
Page 125

In which year were the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) formulated by the UN?

A) 2000B) 2010C) 2015D) 2020
View Answer
Correct Answer: 2015
Reference: NCERT Page 125
Page 118

Seventy per cent of water in India is

A) Safe for drinkingB) PollutedC) BrackishD) Untreated
View Answer
Correct Answer: Polluted
Reference: NCERT Page 118

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Section B2: Factual One-Liners

What is the full form of CFC? (Box 7.2) Page 119

Reveal Answer
Chlorofluorocarbon (Page 119)

What is the full form of CPCB? (Box 7.4) Page 123

Reveal Answer
Central Pollution Control Board (Page 123)

What is the full form of UNCED? Page 124

Reveal Answer
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Page 124)

What is the full form of CNG? Page 126

Reveal Answer
Compressed Natural Gas (Page 126)

What is the full form of LPG? Page 126

Reveal Answer
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Page 126)

What is the full form of SDG? Page 125

Reveal Answer
Sustainable Development Goal (Page 125)

Name the international agreement that banned CFCs (Box 7.2). Page 119

Reveal Answer
Montreal Protocol (Page 119)

In which year was the Kyoto Protocol held? (Box 7.1) Page 118

Reveal Answer
1997 (Page 118)

Name the report that defined sustainable development as meeting the needs of the present without compromising future generations. Page 124

Reveal Answer
Our Common Future (Brundtland Commission Report) (Page 124)

Name the economist who compared carrying capacity to a ‘plimsoll line’. Page 125

Reveal Answer
Herman Daly (Page 125)

Name the movement in Karnataka similar to Chipko (Box 7.3). Page 121

Reveal Answer
Appiko (Page 121)

Which tree has provided several types of pest-controlling chemicals? Page 128

Reveal Answer
Neem (Page 128)

By which year are the SDGs intended to be achieved? Page 125

Reveal Answer
2030 (Page 125)

What was the amount of challan paid by the truck driver emitting black soot? (Work These Out) Page 122

Reveal Answer
Rs 10,000 (Page 122)

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