Civil Services Examination · Question 42
Read the following passage and answer the item that follows. Your answer should be based solely on the passage. Passage: Over the next 30 years, many countries are promising to move to net-zero carbon, implying that household emissions will have to be cut to close to nothing. A leading climate scientist reckons that, at best, half the reduction might be achieved through demand-side measures, such as behavioural changes by individuals and households. And even that would require companies and governments to provide more incentives to change through supply-side investments to make low-carbon options cheaper and more widely available. With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: I. Supply-side investments in companies can result in low-carbon behaviour in people. II. People are not capable of adapting low-carbon behaviour without the involvement of Government and Companies. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: (A) I only
Explanation
Supply-side investments that make low-carbon options cheaper encourage behavioural change (I). Saying people are 'not capable' without them is too extreme (II). (Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.)