As you are aware, the environment is covered in both Prelims and GS Paper-3 of the UPSC Mains Syllabus. Every year, approximately 12-28 questions from this section are included in the UPSC Prelims exam. Another factor that makes it important and tricky is that it is closely related to UPSC Current Affairs. So first go through the syllabus of environment for UPSC
1.Environment and Ecology
Basic Understandings
- Categories, Components and Features of Environment
- Properties, Components of Ecosystem
- Levels of Organism
- Abiotic Factors
- Biotic Factors
Biogeochemical Cycles
- Gaseous Cycle
- Nutrient Cycle
- Sedimentary Cycle
Types of Ecosystems
- Terrestrial Ecosystem, Aquatic Ecosystem
- Changes in Ecosystem
- Ecosystem Conservation
Pollution
- Air pollution, Water pollution, Soil Pollution, Noise Pollution, Radio Active Pollution, Thermal Pollution, Plastics Pollution
Land Degradation
- Causes and Impact of Land Degradation
- Desertification, Sustainable Land Management
- Soil Erosion, Soil Conservation, Problems due to Excessive Irrigation
Waste Management
- Solid Waste Management
- e-waste Management
- Biomedical Waste
- Hazardous Waste
Environmental Impact Assessment
Need for EIA, EIA Cycle and procedure
2. Biodiversity
Basic Understandings
- Levels of Biodiversity, Measurement of Biodiversity, Importance of Biodiversity
- Loss of Biodiversity and its causes
Biodiversity Conservation
- Conservation Strategies
- Conservation Tools
- IUCN
- IUCN Red List
- Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESAs)
- In-situ methods, Ex-situ Methods
Indian Biodiversity
- Indian Bio-Geographical Classification
- Fauna Diversity, Flora Diversity, Indian Wildlife
Threatened Species of India
- IUCN Red Data Book Categories
- Critically Endangered Species of India
Other Topics Related to Biodiversity
- Biodiversity Convention and Protocols
- Biodiversity Laws, Policies and Programmes
- Biodiversity Conservation Efforts in India
3.Climate Change
Basic Understandings
- Global warming and Global Warming Potential
- Green House Gases and Green House Effects
- Ocean Acidification
- Ozone depletion
India and Climate change
- Climate change in India
- Mitigation Strategies
Climate Change Organisations
- Conference of Parties
- UNFCCC and its mechanism
- Kyoto Protocol (2nd Commitment)
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
- IPCC Reports
4. Other Related Topics
- Important Acts and Policies
- Different Environmental Institutions and their measures
- Environmental Organizations
- International Organizations and Conventions
- Environment Issues and health effects