Environment, Biodiversity Material for UPSC Civil Services Main Exam

UPSC Civil Services Mains syllabus actually has less topics on Environment. One should not study a whole book on environment for Mains . Fortunately, topics are clearly mentioned in the syllabus.

They are:

• Conservation
• Environmental Pollution and Degradation
• Environmental Impact Assessment
• Disaster and Disaster Management

Materials For Above Topics:

I. Conservation

1. Biodiversity Conservation 
2. Conservation of other Natural Resources 
3. Conservation of Soil and Land 
4. Water and Energy Conservation 
5. Water Conservation at Different Levels 
6. Energy Conservation 

II. Environmental Pollution and Degradation

1. Environmental Pollution 
2. Pollution – Very Basic
3. Environment and Health
4. National Environmental Issues
5. Global Environmental Issues 
6. Environmental Pollution – Technical

III. Environmental Impact Assessment

1. Environmental Legislation 
2. Environmental Impact assessment 
3. Environmental Related Institutions and Organisations

IV. Disaster and Disaster Management

1. Disasters and their Management 
2. Yojana on Disaster Management.
3.  Disaster Management Report (read very selectively)

These materials are sufficient for preparing of static part of the environment related topics given in the syllabus.

Apart from above materials, you have to study current events related to environment from newspapers and magazines (Frontline Magazine has a section on environmental issues itself).