Class 12 Political Science - BIHAR
Environment and Natural Resources
The chapter 'Environment and Natural Resources' in Class 12 Political Science explores the growing global concern over environmental degradation, climate change, and resource scarcity from a political perspective. It highlights the North-South divide over environmental policies, indigenous rights, and the commons. For Bihar Board (BSEB) students, this chapter is crucial as it connects global environmental politics with sustainable development and local resource management. Understanding these concepts helps students analyze international treaties like the Kyoto Protocol and Rio Summit, which frequently feature in board examinations through objective and subjective questions.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Global Commons
Resource areas outside sovereign jurisdiction, such as Antarctica, the earth's atmosphere, ocean floor, and outer space, requiring joint governance by the international community.
Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR)
The principle from the 1992 Rio Earth Summit stating that all states must protect the environment, but developed countries bear a greater historical responsibility for pollution and have more resources to combat it.
The Rio Summit (1992)
Also known as the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which institutionalized global environmental governance and produced Agenda 21 focusing on sustainable development.
Kyoto Protocol (1997)
An international treaty committing industrialized nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions based on the principle of differentiated responsibilities.
Indigenous Peoples and Rights
Communities whose traditional lands and ways of life are threatened by resource exploitation, logging, and large development projects, making their rights an integral part of global environmental justice.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) Class 12 Political Science paper, this chapter typically carries around 4 to 6 marks. Questions usually include objective (multiple-choice) questions about major international summits (Rio, Kyoto), short-answer questions defining concepts like CBDR or Global Commons, and occasionally a long-answer question on India's stance on environmental issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
UNFCCC stands for United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It was adopted at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.
UNFCCC stands for United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It serves as the foundational framework for international climate change negotiations.
Why do developing countries object to equal emission cuts for all nations?
Developing countries argue that developed nations are historically responsible for the bulk of greenhouse gas emissions since the Industrial Revolution and possess greater financial and technological resources to address climate change.
What are India's major concerns regarding environmental policies?
India emphasizes the principle of 'Common But Differentiated Responsibilities' (CBDR), pointing out that its per capita emissions are very low and that poverty alleviation and economic development remain its top priorities.
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