Economic Growth, Environment & Sustainable Development Questions and Answers AP Inter 2nd Year Economics Chapter 3

Reviewing AP Inter 2nd Year Economics Study Material Chapter 3 Economic Growth, Environment & Sustainable Development Questions and Answers can help students prepare confidently for exams.

AP Inter 2nd Year Economics 3rd Lesson Economic Growth, Environment & Sustainable Development Questions and Answers

Very Short Answer Questions

Question 1.
Swachh Bharat Mission.
Answer:

• Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) was launched in 2014.
• It signifies a fundamental transformation in India’s pursuit of universal sanitation access.
• Its second phase (SBM 2.0) focuses on waste management based on circular economy principles like reducing waste, recycling resources, and promoting sustainability.

Question 2.
Economic Development.
Answer:
Economic development is defined as a multi-dimensional process that encompasses both quantitative increases in output and qualitative changes in a country’s socio-economic structure.

Question 3.
State the dimensions of HDI.
Answer:
Dimensions of Human Development Index (HDI):

1. Health: Measured by life expectancy at birth (long and healthy life)
2. Education: Measured by expected years of schooling and mean years of schooling
3. Standard of Living: Measured by Gross National Income (GNI) per capita.

Question 4.
Deforestation.
Answer:
Deforestation refers to the large-scale cutting and clearing of forests, mainly for agriculture, urbanisation, and industrial use.
It leads to loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, and environmental imbalance.

Question 5.
State the definition of sustainable development given by Brundtland Report.
Answer:
Sustainable development, according to the Brundtland Report (1987), is “meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Question 6.
What do you understand by biotic environment?
Answer:
Biotic environment refers to all living components of the environment, such as plants, animals, and microorganisms, which interact with each other and with the physical surroundings.

Short Answer Questions

Question 1.
Explain Physical Quality of Life Index.
Answer:
Physical Quality of Life Index (PQLI)

1. Physical Quality of Life Index (PQLI): This is a non-income measure of economic development developed by M. D. Morris in 1979.
2. It measures the quality of life based on three indicators:
   1. infant mortality rate
   2. life expectancy at age one
   3. basic literacy rate.
3. Each indicator is scaled from 0 to 100, and the average of these values gives the PQLI.
4. It reflects the fulfillment of basic human needs such as health, education, sanitation, and nutrition.
5. Limitations of PQLI: It has as it has a narrow scope. It does not measure total welfare or structural changes. It gives equal weight to all indicators.

Question 2.
Explain Gender Empowerment Measure.
Answer:
Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM): This is a composite index introduced by the UNDP in 1995. It measures gender inequality and women’s empowerment in 3 critical dimensions.

1. It measures political participation through the proportion of seats held by women in parliament.
2. It assesses economic participation and decision-making by the percentage of women in managerial and professional positions.
3. It evaluates control over economic resources through the estimated earned income of women compared to men.

Question 3.
Discuss any four consequences of Economic Development on environment.
Answer:
Consequences of Economic Development on Environment:
1) Depletion of natural resources: Economic development leads to depletion of natural resources. Because increased production and consumption require large amounts of resources like forests, minerals, and fossil fuels, which may get exhausted and affect future growth.

2) Waste generation : It results in waste generation beyond the environment’s absorptive capacity. Because industries and urban activities produce more waste than nature can handle, leading to environmental imbalance and crisis.

3) Health problems: Environmental degradation caused by development leads to health problems, such as respiratory and waterborne diseases, and increases medical expenses, thereby affecting human well-being and economic productivity.

4) Air and Water Pollution: Economic growth also causes air and water pollution. Because industrial emissions and vehicular smoke pollute the air. Also sewage and industrial effluents contaminate water, harming living organisms and ecosystems.

Question 4.
Why is real national income not a good indicator of economic development?
Answer:
National income is not a good indicator of economic development.

Reasons:

1. Ignores Population Growth: It does not consider population changes; if population grows faster than income, there is no real development.
2. Hidden Social Costs: It does not account for social and environmental costs incurred during production.
3. Income Distribution: It doesn’t give information about how income is distributed.
4. Measurement Difficulties: There are conceptual problems in accurately measuring national income (GNP), making it unreliable.

Question 5.
Explain any two types of pollution with their causes and effects.
Answer:
1) Air Pollution:
i) Causes: Air pollution is a serious problem in cities and manufacturing areas. The increase in vehicles—especially old vehicles and two-stroke engines-releases large amounts of smoke and harmful gases. Industrial emissions from factories, thermal power plants, and construction activities further pollute the air. In many areas, burning of wood and coal for cooking also adds to atmospheric pollution.

ii) Effects: Air pollution leads to the formation of acid rain, which damages forests, crops, soil, and water bodies. Certain gases like CFCs also damage the ozone layer, allowing harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays to reach the Earth. They can cause skin diseases and harm plants and animals. Overall, it affects both environmental balance and human health.

2) Water Pollution:

i) Causes: Water pollution is mainly caused by the discharge of untreated sewage, industrial waste. They contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals. Waste from mining activities go into rivers, lakes, and groundwater. These pollutants mix with water and reduce its quality.

ii) Effects: Polluted water destroys aquatic life such as fish, plants, and microorganisms, disturbing the ecosystem. For humans, it leads to waterborne diseases like cholera, typhoid, and dysentery. It also increases the cost of water purification and can result in shortage of safe drinking water. They may slow down economic and social development.

Question 6.
Write any four characteristics of developing economies.
Answer:
Characteristics of Developing Economies:

1. Low Per Capita Income: Developing countries have low per capita income. This results in a low standard of living and is a key basis for their classification.
2. Widespread Poverty: A large proportion of the population lives below the poverty line. This is due to low-income levels, slow economic growth, and large population size.
3. Predominance of Agriculture: About two-thirds of the population depends on agriculture, which often uses traditional methods and has low productivity.
4. Capital Deficiency: These countries have low savings and investment. Because most income is spent on basic consumption, leading to slow economic growth.

Long Answer Questions

Question 1.
Distinguish between the concepts of economic growth and econorpic development with suitable examples.
Answer:

Examples of Economic Growth:

1. Increase in a country’s real national income or GNP over time
2. Rise in the total production of goods and services
3. Technological progress leading to faster and higher production
4. Expansion of industries resulting in higher output.

Examples of Economic Development:

1. Reduction in poverty and improvement in living standards
2. Better healthcare and education facilities
3. More equal distribution of income
4. Structural change from agriculture-based economy to industrial economy.

Question 2.
Discuss the various environmental problems.
Answer:
1) Pollution: Pollution is one of the most serious environmental problems caused by rapid urbanization and industrialization.

• Air pollution arises from vehicular emissions, industries, thermal power plants, construction activities, and burning of fuels, leading to acid rain and ozone layer depletion.
• Water pollution is caused by sewage, industrial chemicals, and mining waste, which contaminate water bodies, harm aquatic life, and cause diseases.
• Noise pollution from traffic, industries, and public activities leads to stress, hearing loss, and reduced concentration.
• Improper disposal of solid and hazardous waste pollutes land, air, and water, spreading communicable diseases.

2) Deforestation: Deforestation involves large-scale clearing of forests for agriculture, industries, and urban expansion. It destroys plant and animal habitats, reduces biodiversity, increases temperature, and leads to floods and soil erosion. It also contributes to global warming by increasing carbon dioxide levels.

3) Soil Degradation: Soil degradation occurs due to water and wind erosion, deforestation, overgrazing, and excessive use of chemicals in agriculture. In irrigated areas, it may lead to salinization. This reduces soil fertility and productivity, affecting agricultural output and food security.

4) Loss of Biodiversity: Economic activities like mining, industrialization, and agricultural expansion lead to destruction of natural habitats. This results in extinction of plant and animal species and loss of genetic diversity, which is essential for ecological balance and future resources.

5) Global Warming and Climate Change: Global warming is caused by increased greenhouse gases, leading to a rise in Earth’s temperature. This results in melting glaciers, rising sea levels, and extreme weather conditions. Climate change further causes irregular rainfall, coastal erosion, and spread of diseases like malaria, affecting both environment and human life.

6) Depletion of Natural Resources: Rapid population growth and industrialization have increased the demand for natural resources beyond their availability. This leads to overexploitation of both renewable and non-renewable resources, threatening sustainability and future economic development.

Question 3.
Explain HDI and its measurement.
Answer:
Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It is used to measure the level of human development by considering both economic and social factors, not just income.

I) The HDI focuses on three essential dimensions of human life:

1. Health: Measured by life expectancy at birth (long and healthy life)
2. Education: Measured by expected years of schooling (18 years); mean years of schooling (15 years); Adult literacy rate, enrollment ratio in primary and secondary schools.
3. Standard of Living: Measured by Gross National Income (GNI) per capita (75000 US dollars).

Measurement and Calculation of HDI:

1. Normalization: For each dimension, minimum and maximum values (goalposts) are fixed to standardize data.
2. Dimension Index: Each dimension is converted into an index using the formula:
   Dimension Index = \(\frac{\text { Actual Value – Minimum Value }}{\text { Maximum Value – Minimum Value }}\)
3. Final HDI Value: The overall HDI is calculated as the geometric mean of the three dimension indices (health, education, and income).
4. Index Range: The HDI value lies between 0 and 1, where a higher value indicates higher human development.

II) Classification of Countries: Based on their HDI values, countries are typically grouped into four categories to reflect their level of development:

1. Very High Human Development: 0.800 and above.
2. High Human Development: 0.700 to 0.799.
3. Medium Human Development: 0.550 to 0.699.
4. Low Human Development: Below 0.5$0.

III) Limitations of HDI:

1. The weighting scheme is arbitrary, as equal importance is given to all dimensions, which may not reflect reality.
2. It does not consider social and political freedoms, which are important aspects of development.
3. It ignores gender inequalities, failing to reflect differences between men and women.
4. To overcome these limitations, additional indices like the Gender-related Development Index (GDI) and Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) have been introduced.

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1.
Economic growth means
1) Increase in a country’s real national output
2) No change in a country’s real national output
3) Quantitative and Qualitative changes in the economy
4) This issue relates to the Developing countries
Answer:
1) Increase in a country’s real national output

Question 2.
Maximum value of life expectancy at birth indicator in HDI
1) 100 years
2) 85 years
3) 75 years
4) 60 years
Answer:
2) 85 years

Question 3.
PQLI as an indicator of economic development was developed by
1) Kindleberger
2) M.D. Morris
3) R.W. Richardson
4) Paul P. Streeten
Answer:
2) M.D. Morris

Question 4.
When was the term‘Sustainable Development’first defined?
1) 1980
2) 1987
3)2000
4) 2015
Answer:
2) 1987

Question 5.
What are the serial numbers of SDGs included in the aspect prosperity?
1) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
2) 6, 12, 13, 14, 15
3) 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
4) 13, 14, 15, 16, 17
Answer:
3) 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

Question 6.
The target year to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) is
1) 2030
2) 2035
3) 2040
4) 2047
Answer:
1) 2030

Question 7.
One of the key wildlife conservation programmes launched by India
1) Project Lion
2) Project Tiger
3) Project Deer
4) Project Camel
Answer:
2) Project Tiger

Question 8.
The term degrowth refers to
1) Malnutrition among children
2) Measurement of real income
3) Reduction of consumption
4) Regional imbalances
Answer:
3) Reduction of consumption

Question 9.
India’s GNI per capita for 2024 as per World Development Report
1) $ 2250
2) $ 2650
3) $ 2850
4) $ 2930
Answer:
2) $ 2650

Question 10.
Zero Hunger is
1) SDG 1
2) SDG 2
3) SDG 3
4) SDG 17
Answer:
2) SDG 2

Fill in the Blanks

Question 1.
Countries with HDI value within the range of 0.550 – 0.699 are classified as ___________ Human Development Group.
Answer:
Medium

Question 2.
Sustainable Development means meeting the needs of the present without ___________ the needs of future generation.
Answer:
Compromising

Question 3.
The agreement reached at CoP21 is popularly known as ___________.
Answer:
Paris agreement

Question 4.
A gradual increase in the average temperature of the earth’s lower atmosphere is called ___________.
Answer:
Global warming

Question 5.
LiFE stands for ___________.
Answer:
Lifestyle for environment

One Word Answers

Question 1.
What is the HDI value range of Very High Human Development group according to HDR 2010?
Answer:
0.800 and above

Question 2.
What is the percentage of adaptation-related spending in GDP in 2021 -22?
Answer:
5.6

Question 3.
What is the unemployment rate in India in June 2025 as per the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI)?
Answer:
5.6%

Question 4.
Which programme was launched in India in June 2024 on World Environment Day to promote pro-environmental activities?
Answer:
Ek Ped Maa ke Naam

Question 5.
What is the number of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?
Answer:
17