In the question given below there are 2 statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Choose the correct alternative from the following options.

Assertion (A)- In the early days when civilisation just began there was no environmental problems.

Reason (R)- Pollution was within the absorptive capacity of the environment and the rate of resource extraction was less than the rate of regeneration of these resources.

Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation.

The correct answer is: Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is the correct explanation of (A).

Explanation:

• Assertion (A): In the early days when civilization just began there were no environmental problems. This statement is true. While human activities have always had some impact on the environment, the scale and intensity of environmental problems were much smaller in the early days of civilization, due to lower population levels, less advanced technology, and a smaller ecological footprint.
• Reason (R): Pollution was within the absorptive capacity of the environment and the rate of resource extraction was less than the rate of regeneration of these resources. This statement is true. In the early days of civilization, human activities were more localized and less intensive, and the environment had a greater capacity to absorb pollution and regenerate resources.
• Thus, (R) explains why (A) was true.