UPSC Prelims 2020— Question 65

This question tests social cost of carbon. The key concept is: The social cost of carbon is the estimated monetary value of the damages caused by emitting one additional tonne of carbon dioxide, including effects on health, agriculture, ecosystems and other economic damages over time. It is not an individual's carbon footprint or a climate refugee's adaptation cost. The verified answer for the uploaded Set-B paper is option A. Option A — Long term damage done by a tone of CO2 emissions in a given year: This is the correct option. It matches the verified conclusion because The social cost of carbon is the estimated monetary value of the damages caused by emitting one additional tonne of carbon dioxide, including effects on health, agriculture, ecosystems and other economic damages over time. It is not an individual's carbon footprint or a climate refugee's adaptation cost. The wording of the option is consistent with the governing concept tested by the question. Option B — Requirements of fossil fuels for a country to provide a goods and services to its citizen’s based on the burning of those fuels efforts put in by a climate refugee to adapt to live in a new place.: This is not the correct option. The option does not match the verified combination or conclusion. The decisive point is the distinction explained above: The social cost of carbon is the estimated monetary value of the damages caused by emitting one additional tonne of carbon dioxide, including effects on health, agriculture, ecosystems and other economic damages over time. It is not an individual's carbon footprint or a climate refugee's adaptation cost. Therefore this alternative should be eliminated even if part of its wording appears plausible in isolation. Option C — Efforts put in by the climate refugee to adapt to live in a new place.: This is not the correct option. The option does not match the verified combination or conclusion. The decisive point is the distinction explained above: The social cost of carbon is the estimated monetary value of the damages caused by emitting one additional tonne of carbon dioxide, including effects on health, agriculture, ecosystems and other economic damages over time. It is not an individual's carbon footprint or a climate refugee's adaptation cost. Therefore this alternative should be eliminated even if part of its wording appears plausible in isolation. Option D — Contribution of an individual person to the carbon Footprint on the planet earth.: This is not the correct option. The option does not match the verified combination or conclusion. The decisive point is the distinction explained above: The social cost of carbon is the estimated monetary value of the damages caused by emitting one additional tonne of carbon dioxide, including effects on health, agriculture, ecosystems and other economic damages over time. It is not an individual's carbon footprint or a climate refugee's adaptation cost. Therefore this alternative should be eliminated even if part of its wording appears plausible in isolation. For UPSC-style elimination, first identify the exact proposition being tested, then evaluate each statement independently before comparing the answer codes. Avoid treating a broad or absolute statement as correct merely because its general theme is familiar. The precise qualifiers in the question—such as 'all', 'only', 'cannot', 'largest', 'always' or a specific institutional role—often determine the answer. On that basis, option A is the verified answer.