Environment & Ecology

Environment & Ecology for UPSC — question-first: how UPSC asks each topic, the concepts behind it, species and protected areas… Free notes, PYQs & MCQs.

  1. Read This First — How UPSC Tests Environment and Ecology and How to Crack It
  2. Ecosystem Structure and Function for UPSC: Productivity, Decomposition, Food Chains, Energy Flow and Ecological Pyramids
  3. Biogeochemical Cycles for UPSC: Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Sulphur and Oxygen, and How Humans Disturb Them
  4. Population and Community Ecology for UPSC: Growth Models, Species Interactions, Adaptations and Succession
  5. Biodiversity for UPSC: Levels, Hotspots, Endemism, Loss of Species and Conservation in India
  6. Mammals in the News for UPSC: Tiger, Lion, Cheetah, Elephant, Snow Leopard, River Dolphin and Other Species Cards
  7. Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish and Invertebrates in the News for UPSC: Great Indian Bustard, Gharial, Olive Ridley, Gooty Tarantula and More
  8. Plants, Fungi and Invasive Species for UPSC: Prosopis, Nativity, Legumes, Lichens and the 2024-25 Plant Questions
  9. Conservation Status and Legal Protection for UPSC: IUCN Red List, CITES, CMS, TRAFFIC and the Wildlife (Protection) Act as Amended in 2022
  10. Protected Areas of India for UPSC: National Parks, Sanctuaries, Tiger Reserves, Biosphere Reserves and the 2025-26 Numbers
  11. Wetlands, Ramsar Sites, Mangroves, Coral Reefs and Blue Carbon for UPSC: India's State-wise Ramsar List and the 2025-26 Numbers
  12. Forests of India for UPSC: ISFR 2023, Forest Cover Classes, Forest Law, FRA, CAMPA and Green Credit
  13. Climate Change Science for UPSC: Greenhouse Gases, Sinks, Carbon Removal, CCUS and the Latest WMO Numbers
  14. UNFCCC to Paris and Belém for UPSC: COPs, Kyoto, NDCs, Article 6, Climate Finance and the 2023-26 Outcomes
  15. India's Climate Action for UPSC: BUR-4 Inventory, NDC 3.0, Net Zero 2070, NAPCC, Mission LiFE and the Carbon Market
  16. Climate Initiatives and Alliances for UPSC: ISA, Green Grids, LeadIT, IBCA, New York Declaration on Forests and the EU's Net-Zero Laws
  17. Air Pollution for UPSC: Pollutants, AQI, NAAQS, WHO Guidelines, NCAP (130 Cities), CAQM and GRAP
  18. Water and Soil Pollution for UPSC: BOD, Eutrophication, Treatment Technologies, Polluted River Stretches, Namami Gange and Groundwater
  19. Waste Management for UPSC: SWM Rules 2026, E-Waste and Plastic Rules, EPR, Hazardous Waste and Circular Economy
  20. Chemicals of Concern for UPSC: POPs, Mercury, PFAS, Basel, Rotterdam, Stockholm and Minamata, Montreal Protocol and Kigali
  21. Environmental Laws for UPSC: Article 48A and 51A(g), Environment (Protection) Act 1986, Jan Vishwas Reforms, Water and Air Act Amendments
  22. Environmental Institutions and Clearances for UPSC: NGT, CPCB, CGWA, EIA 2006, PARIVESH, CRZ and Eco-Sensitive Zones
  23. Clean Energy and Biofuels for UPSC: Renewables, Green Hydrogen, Storage, Nuclear, Ethanol, SAF and the Carbon Market
  24. Global Environmental Governance for UPSC: Rio Summits, SDGs, Agenda 21, GEF, Seabed Mining, Polar Code and the High Seas Treaty
  25. Agro-ecology for UPSC: Conservation Agriculture, Soil Health Card, Natural Farming, Micro-irrigation and Rice Emissions
  26. Environment 2025-26 Capstone for UPSC: Policy Shifts, Key Numbers, CCUS and Infrastructure versus Disaster Risk