The Environment syllabus for IAS Mains includes: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

Here, we are presenting a list of topics that should be covered in Environment for its holistic preparation:

A) Ecology:

1. What is ecology?

2. Geochemical cycles
   

3. Food chain and food pyramids
   

4. Laws related to ecology
   

B) Biodiversity:

1. What is biodiversity?

2. Types of biodiversity
   

3. Importance of biodiversity
   

4. Causes of biodiversity loss
   

5. Impact of the loss of biodiversity
   

C) Biodiversity conservation:

1. Why it needed?

2. In situ and ex situ conservation
   

3. New technologies for conservation
   

4. Economic incentives for conservation
   

5. Role of government
   

6. Role of NGOs 
   

7. People participation
   

8. Some case studies related to it
   

9. Eco tourism
   

10. Traditional methods of biodiversity conservation
    

D) Schemes and programmes

1. Species specific programmes such as tiger, elephant, lion, crocodile conservation programmes.

2. Biodiversity Acts
   

3. Forest conservation Acts
   

4. International treaties such as CBD, Bonn convention, Ramsar sites, etc.
   

5. IUCN 
   

6. Analysis of treaties and their impact
   

E) Environmental degradation

1. Land degradation

2. Water resource degradation
   

3. Biodiversity degradation
   

4. Air quality degradation
   

5. Ocean resource degradation
   

6. Causes of degradation 
   I. Deforestation 
   II. Desertification 
   III. Mining 
   IV. Overgrazing 
   V. Pollution 
   VI. Ocean acidification 
   VII. Waste disposal 
   VIII. Poaching and hunting 
   IX. Soil erosion 
   X. Urbanization 
   XI. Agriculture practices
   

7. Sustainable development of resources
   

F) Environmental impact assessment

1. Meaning

2. Process of EIA
   

3. Process of EIA in India
   

4. Organisations involved in EIA in India
   

5. Advantages of EIA
   

6. Economic development and EIA linkage