Read the passage and answer the following questions:
Adding to the grim scenario of extinctions is the fact that more than 15,500 species world-wide are facing the threat of extinction. From a study of the history of life on earth through fossil records, we learn that large-scale loss of species like the one we are currently witnessing have also happened earlier, even before humans appeared on the scene. During the long period (> 3 billion years) since the origin and diversification of life on earth there were five episodes of mass extinction of species. How is the 'Sixth Extinction' presently in progress different from the previous episodes? The difference is in the rates; the current species extinction rates are estimated to be 100 to 1,000 times faster than in the pre-human times and our activities are responsible for the faster rates. Ecologists warn that if the present trends continue, nearly half of all the species on earth might be wiped out within the next 100 years.
Arrange the following in chronological order:
A. World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg, South Africa
B. IUCN Red List documenting the extinction of 784 species in the last 500 years
C. Convention on Biological Diversity ('The Earth Summit') held in Rio de Janeiro
D. Year by which 190 countries pledged to achieve a significant reduction in the current rate of biodiversity loss
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → C, A, B, D
Two of these are world meetings, one is a report and one is a target year. Put each against its year and the order follows.
C. Convention on Biological Diversity (‘The Earth Summit’) held in Rio de Janeiro — first. It was held in 1992 and called upon all nations to conserve biodiversity and use its benefits in a sustainable way.
A. World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg, South Africa — second. It was a follow-up to the Rio summit, held in 2002.
B. IUCN Red List documenting the extinction of 784 species in the last 500 years — third. This is the Red List of 2004, two years after the Johannesburg summit.
D. Year by which 190 countries pledged to achieve a significant reduction in the current rate of biodiversity loss — fourth. The pledge was made at Johannesburg in 2002 for a target year in the future, 2010, so it comes after the Red List of 2004.
NCERT Extract:
How do we conserve Biodiversity? – “Biodiversity knows no political boundaries and its conservation is therefore a collective responsibility of all nations. The historic Convention on Biological Diversity (‘The Earth Summit’) held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, called upon all nations to take appropriate measures for conservation of biodiversity and sustainable utilisation of its benefits. In a follow-up, the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in 2002 in Johannesburg, South Africa, 190 countries pledged their commitment to achieve by 2010, a significant reduction in the current rate of biodiversity loss at global, regional and local levels.”
Loss of Biodiversity – “… The IUCN Red List (2004) documents the extinction of 784 species (including 338 vertebrates, 359 invertebrates and 87 plants) in the last 500 years.”