Environment for UPSC Prelims 2025

Environment for UPSC Prelims 2025: Important Topics, Sources, Trends and Tips

The questions of environment in UPSC Prelims have been significantly increasing. However, the questions are attributed to a higher difficulty level than other subjects, given the dynamic nature of environment as a subject.
This blog will guide you through important topics, best sources, question trends, and effective preparation strategies for UPSC Prelims 2025.

Important Topics of Environment for Prelims 2025

Static

Basics of Environment
- Definitions – Environment, Population, Species, Ecosystem, Ecology, Biodiversity, etc.
- Functions of Ecosystem – Trophic levels, Food web and chain, Nutrient Cycling
Biodiversity
- Species richness, evenness, Alpha-Beta-Gamma factors
- Protected Areas Networks – National Parks, Sanctuaries, Tiger Reserves, Elephant Reserves, Biosphere Reserves, etc.
- Conservation Projects and Initiatives of the Govt
- International Organisations – IUCN, WWF, etc.
- International Agreements – CBD, CITES, Ramsar Convention, etc.
Climate Change
- International Agreements and Efforts – IPCC, Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement, COP Summits, etc.
- National Efforts – Legislations and Initiatives
- Terms like Coral Bleaching, Ocean Acidification
- Issues like Climate Finance
Pollution – Air, Water, Soil
- Related Legislations at national and International Level
- Sources of pollution is a repeating theme in UPSC Prelims
International Conferences and Organisations
- UNCCD, UNCED, UNFCCC, UNEP, IPCC, etc.
- Their important COP Summits and outcomes.
National Environmental Organisations
- NTCA, WCCB, NBA, BNHS, NGT, CPCB, etc.
- Their role and composition.
Important Species

Important Map Topics of Environment for Prelims 2025

(Click here for Tips to Prepare Map Based Questions for Prelims 2025)

National Parks in India – rivers in and around them, imp flora and fauna
Important Wildlife Sanctuaries
Tiger reserves in India
Elephant Reserves in India
Ramsar Sites in India
Biosphere Reserves in India
Lakes drying up across the world

Current Affairs Topics (since January 2024)

CBD CoP 16
UNFCCC CoP 29
World Wildlife Crime Report 2024
Living Planet Report 2024
Envistats India 2024
Ecomark rules 2024
Funga term as part of trinity
Aravalli Green Wall Project
Green Credit Programme
Emissions Gap Report 2024
Water Amendment Act 2024
Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan Award 2024
Species in News – Indian Wild Ass; Neelakurinji; Kashmir Willow; Tenkana; etc.
Protected Areas in News – Ratapani Tiger Reserve; Kaimur TR; Longwood Shola Reserve Forest; Kuttanad Wetlands, etc.
Terms in News – Wet Bulb Temperature; Grasshopper Effect; Greenhushing, etc.

Best Sources for Environment for Prelims 2025

NCERTs – Class 12th Biology
Atlas
Environment Blue Book (Pre-Vail) by UnderStand UPSC (Includes PYQs) – 2 Parts
For Map Work – Follow Bharat Darshan Series on UnderStand UPSC Youtube channel (Freely available)
For Current Affairs – UnderStand UPSC FocUS Magazine for Environment – Extensive coverage of Environment Current Affairs of last 1.5 years (Freely Available on UnderStand UPSC App)

Trend Analysis in Prelims – Environment

Environment is consistently contributing 15-20 questions (20-40 marks) in Prelims.
A substantial portion of these questions is derived from recent environmental events, policies, and international agreements, highlighting the importance of staying updated with current affairs.
Environment questions frequently overlap with subjects like geography, agriculture, and science and technology, necessitating a comprehensive preparation strategy.
UPSC has been consistently asking about Species.
- Animal Behavior occurs to be a new area in Prelims since last few years.

Tips for Preparing Environment for UPSC Prelims 2025

Ensure you have a strong foundation and conceptual clarity of Environment concepts like climate, biodiversity, etc. Having a good knowledge of geography helps in interlinking of concepts.
Go through the species asked in PYQs of 15-20 years and prepare them well.
Strictly restrict yourself to a single source. Environment is a dynamic subject. Reading and retaining information from different sources is extremely difficult here.
Catch the repeating themes – Animal Behaviour, Reports by International Organisations, Important Environmental Terms in News, Drying lakes across the world, etc.
Integrate your map work for Environment and Geography- UPSC frequently asks integrated questions like – rivers flowing through a particular national park, etc.
Practice a lot of questions
Solve at least 15 years PYQs of Environment.
MCQ Aptitude and MAD series by Satyam Jain Sir is a game changer here.

All the Best!

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