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Q98 (IAS/2016) Environment & Ecology › Climate Change & Global Initiatives › Sustainable development framework Official Key

Consider the following statements : 1. The Sustainable Development Goals were first proposed in 1972 by a global think tank called the 'Club of Rome'. 2. The Sustainable Development Goals have to be achieved by 2030. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Result
Your answer:  ·  Correct: B
Explanation

The correct answer is option B (Statement 2 only).

**Statement 1 is incorrect:** The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015[2], not in 1972. While the Club of Rome is a global think tank that came out with a report called "The Limits to Growth" in 1972[4], this report dealt with sustainable development concepts in general, not the specific SDGs. The theoretical framework for sustainable development evolved between 1972 and 1992, beginning with the UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm in 1972[5]. The SDGs themselves were formally proposed and adopted much later.

**Statement 2 is correct:** The Sustainable Development Goals have to be achieved by 2030[6]. SDGs replaced the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and were adopted in 2015 to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030[1].

Sources
  1. [1] Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 21: Sustainable Development and Climate Change > CHAPTER SUMMARY > p. 607
  2. [2] Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 8: Inclusive growth and issues > 8.15 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) > p. 278
  3. [3] https://www.orfonline.org/research/the-sustainable-development-agenda
  4. [4] https://unstats.un.org/unsd/geoinfo/RCC/docs/rccap20/IP1_UNRCC-AP%20Paper%20G%20Scott.pdf
  5. [5] https://unstats.un.org/unsd/geoinfo/RCC/docs/rccap20/IP1_UNRCC-AP%20Paper%20G%20Scott.pdf
  6. [6] Economics, Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Poverty as a Challenge > Poverty and Sustainable Development Goals > p. 37
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PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. Consider the following statements : 1. The Sustainable Development Goals were first proposed in 1972 by a global think tank called the 'C…
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 3.3/10 · 6.7/10
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This is a classic 'Timeline Swap' trap. UPSC tested if you could distinguish the *philosophical origin* of sustainability (1972, Club of Rome) from the *specific policy framework* (2015, SDGs). Strategy: For every major global agreement, memorize the 'Family Tree'—Grandfather (1972), Father (1992/2000), and Child (2015).

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Were the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) first proposed in 1972?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"The sustainable development goals were first proposed in 1972 by a global think tank called the 'Club of Rome' ... Correct Answer: B. 2 only"
Why this source?
  • Explicitly presents the claim that SDGs were first proposed in 1972 and marks that claim as incorrect.
  • Provides the answer key indicating only the 2030 target statement is correct, thereby refuting the 1972 origin claim.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Member States agreeing by consensus to adopt ‘Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’ ... to be held in New York from 25 to 27 September 2015."
Why this source?
  • States Member States agreed by consensus to adopt 'Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development' in 2015.
  • Shows the SDGs/2030 Agenda were established in 2015, not first proposed in 1972.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"the theoretical framework for sustainable development evolved in the 20 year period between 1972 and 1992 ... The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (UNCHE), convened in June 1972 in Stockholm, Sweden ..."
Why this source?
  • Notes the evolution of the sustainable development framework occurred between 1972 and 1992, starting with the 1972 Stockholm conference.
  • Indicates 1972 began environmental sustainability discussions but does not state SDGs were proposed then — implying the SDGs came later.

Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 21: Sustainable Development and Climate Change > Sustainable Development Goals > p. 598
Strength: 5/5
“After MDGs, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. The 17 SDGs are integrated - that is, they recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability.”
Why relevant

States that the SDGs 'were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015', giving a clear adoption date for the SDG framework.

How to extend

A student can compare the 2015 adoption date with 1972 and infer that 1972 is unlikely to be the proposal year unless earlier documents show continuity.

Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 8: Inclusive growth and issues > 8.15 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) > p. 278
Strength: 5/5
“The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. The 17 SDGs are integrated that is, they recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability. Through the pledge to Leave No One Behind, countries have committed to fast-track progress for those furthest behind first. That is why the SDGs are designed to bring the world to several life-changing 'zeros', including zero poverty, hunger, AIDS and discrimination against women and girls.”
Why relevant

Also records that the SDGs were 'adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015', reinforcing the 2015 origin.

How to extend

Combining multiple sources that cite 2015 makes it reasonable to suspect the SDGs were not first proposed in 1972 and to check UN records around 2015.

Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 21: Sustainable Development and Climate Change > CHAPTER SUMMARY > p. 607
Strength: 4/5
“Sustainable Development and Climate Change • Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) eight goals set by 189 UN member states in 2000 - after the UN Millennium Declaration. • Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) replaced MDGs adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030 2. The Sustainable Development Goals have to be achieved by 2030.”
Why relevant

Summarizes that the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were set in 2000 and that the SDGs 'replaced MDGs' and were 'adopted ... in 2015', providing a timeline of related UN goal-sets.

How to extend

A student can use this timeline (MDGs 2000 → SDGs 2015) to question any claim that SDGs trace back as far as 1972 and seek primary UN declarations from those years.

Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 21: Sustainable Development and Climate Change > Millennium Development Goals > p. 597
Strength: 3/5
“The United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are the eight goals set by the 189 UN Member States in September 2000 after the UN Millennium Declaration. It set out timebound goals with a deadline of 2015. Such eight MDGs were: 144444444444444444444444444444444444444 • 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. • 2. Achieve universal primary education. • Promote gender equality and empower women. • Reduce child mortality.”
Why relevant

Gives the specific origin year (2000) for the MDGs, showing major UN global goal-sets occurred in 2000 and 2015 rather than earlier decades.

How to extend

Use this to reason that major UN goal-setting moments are clustered around 2000 and 2015, making a 1972 proposal for the SDGs atypical and worth verifying against UN conference outputs.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 28: International Organisation and Conventions > History of the United Nations Environment Assembly > p. 387
Strength: 4/5
“The United Nations Environment Assembly was created in June 2012 at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (RIO+20) as a measure to strengthen and upgrade UN Environment. The establishment of the Environment Assembly was the culmination of decades of international efforts, initiated at the UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm in 1972 and aimed at creating a coherent system of international environmental governance. The first and second sessions of the UN Environment Assembly tackled and adopted resolutions on major issues of illegal trade in wildlife, air quality, environmental rule of law, financing the Green Economy, the Sustainable Development Goals, and "delivering on the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" The Third Environment Assembly took place in 2017.”
Why relevant

Notes the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm) as the start of decades of environmental governance efforts and links later bodies (UNEA) and discussions to Rio+20 (2012) and the SDGs.

How to extend

A student could infer that 1972 began environmental governance discussions but that explicit SDG work emerged much later (e.g., Rio+20 and 2012–2015), so they should check whether any 1972 text explicitly proposed 'SDGs' or only broader environmental governance.

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Statement analysis

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