Which city hosted the COP29 UN Climate Change Conference in November 2024, where a new climate finance goal was a central topic?
Answer:
Baku, Azerbaijan
COP29 was held in Baku, Azerbaijan, in November 2024. The conference focused heavily on establishing a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) for climate finance to support developing nations.
2
What was the primary focus of the 'NCQG' negotiations at COP29?
Answer:
Climate finance for developing countries
The New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance was the top priority at COP29, aiming to replace the previous $100 billion annual target with a more ambitious financial commitment from developed countries.
3
According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which year was officially confirmed as the hottest year on record, surpassing 2023?
Answer:
2024
The WMO confirmed that 2024 broke previous temperature records, becoming the hottest year in history due to a combination of human-induced climate change and the El Niño weather pattern.
4
The United Nations designated 2025 as the International Year of which environmental feature?
Answer:
Glaciers' Preservation
The UN General Assembly declared 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation to raise awareness about the rapid melting of glaciers and its impact on water security.
5
Which Brazilian city was selected to host the landmark COP30 climate summit in November 2025?
Answer:
Belém
Belém, a city located at the gateway to the Amazon rainforest, was selected to host COP30 in 2025, highlighting the critical importance of protecting the Amazon biome.
6
In late 2024, the final round of negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty took place in which city?
Answer:
Busan, South Korea
The fifth and final session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution was held in Busan, South Korea, in late 2024.
7
What significant milestone for renewable energy was projected by the International Energy Agency (IEA) to occur in 2025?
Answer:
Renewables overtaking coal as the largest source of global electricity generation
The IEA projected that renewable energy sources would overtake coal to become the largest source of global electricity generation by early 2025, marking a historic shift in the energy sector.
8
Which politician was nominated by Donald Trump in late 2024 to lead the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)?
Answer:
Lee Zeldin
In November 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced the nomination of former Congressman Lee Zeldin to serve as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
9
The 'Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage' (FRLD) was a key operational focus at which climate summit?
Answer:
COP29
While agreed upon at COP27 and operationalized at COP28, the practical funding mechanisms, governance, and initial disbursements of the Loss and Damage Fund were a major operational focus at COP29 in Baku.
10
In 2025, Pakistan's Ministry of Climate Change focused heavily on demanding what type of financial support at global forums?
Answer:
Grant-based climate financing
Pakistan consistently demanded 'grant-based' climate financing rather than loans, arguing that vulnerable nations should not incur more debt to pay for climate disasters they did not cause.
11
The 'Emissions Gap Report 2024' by UNEP warned that current policies are leading the world toward a temperature rise of approximately how much by 2100?
Answer:
2.6°C to 3.1°C
The UNEP Emissions Gap Report 2024 warned that without immediate and massive emission cuts, current policies place the world on a trajectory for a temperature rise of 2.6°C to 3.1°C by the end of the century.
12
What was the theme of World Wildlife Day 2025?
Answer:
Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet
The theme for World Wildlife Day 2025 was 'Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet,' highlighting the need for innovative funding solutions to protect biodiversity.
13
Which country launched the 'International Big Cat Alliance' (IBCA) which gained further traction in 2024/2025?
Answer:
India
India launched the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) to conserve seven big cat species. The initiative continued to gather international support and members throughout 2024 and 2025.
14
What major air quality issue did Lahore and New Delhi face in November 2024 and 2025, reaching hazardous levels?
Answer:
Smog
Both Lahore and New Delhi experienced record-breaking smog levels in November 2024 and again in 2025, driven by crop burning, vehicular emissions, and stagnant weather conditions.
15
Which article of the Paris Agreement regarding 'carbon markets' was finally operationalized with agreed standards at COP29?
Answer:
Article 6
After years of deadlock, key standards for Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which governs international carbon markets and trading, were agreed upon at COP29 in Baku.
16
In 2025, which region was highlighted by the WMO as heating up faster than the global average?
Answer:
Europe
WMO reports have consistently highlighted that Europe is the fastest-warming continent, heating up at twice the global average rate since the 1980s.
17
What is the name of the UN mechanism designed to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation?
Answer:
REDD+
REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) is the UN framework guiding activities in the forest sector to reduce emissions and enhance carbon stocks.
18
Which invasive species continued to be a major threat to the Indus River ecosystem in 2025?
Answer:
Water Hyacinth
Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) remains a persistent invasive species in Pakistan's waterways, including the Indus basin, clogging canals and affecting aquatic life.
19
The 'Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework' aims to protect what percentage of the planet's land and water by 2030?
Answer:
30%
The framework, often called the '30x30' target, aims to effectively conserve and manage at least 30% of the world's lands, inland waters, coastal areas, and oceans by 2030.
20
In 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) began hearings on which landmark case?
The ICJ began historic hearings to define the legal obligations of states to combat climate change and protect the environment for present and future generations.
