Q. Passage – 1
Maintaining an ecosystem just to conserve biodiversity will affect its commercial potential as well as the livelihoods dependent on the ecosystem. There is also a conflict between using an ecosystem only for livelihoods, for commercial exploitation, or strictly for conservation. Deforestation caused due to commercial exploitation will lead to indirect harm like floods, siltation problems and microclimatic instability, apart from adversely affecting livelihoods dependent on forests. These conflicts are particularly acute in developing countries where the dependence of people on the ecosystem is significant, and commercial exploitation has the potential to boost national income.
Q.2) With reference to above passage, the following assumptions have been made:
I. No country needs to depend on ecosystems to boost national income.
II. Resource-rich countries need to share their resources with those of scant resources so as to prevent the degradation of ecosystems.
Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
Exp) Option d is the correct answer
Statement I is invalid: The passage specifically mentions that in developing countries, commercial exploitation of ecosystems has the potential to boost national income, especially where people are heavily dependent on those ecosystems. Therefore, saying that “no country needs to depend” directly contradicts the passage. The passage implies that some countries do need to, particularly those with limited alternatives. Hence Statement I is incorrect.
Statement II is invalid: The passage does not mention or imply anything about resource sharing among countries as a strategy to prevent ecosystem degradation. It focuses instead on internal conflicts within countries — such as between conservation, livelihood dependence, and commercial use. No reference to international cooperation or resource redistribution is made. Hence Statement II is incorrect.
Both Statement I and II are invalid.
There option (d) is the correct answer.
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