Question

Read the following statements related to the earth’s environment I. Water vapor, and not carbon dioxide, is the most prevalent greenhouse gas in the earth's atmosphere.
II. Besides China and the United States, India and Brazil are the highest greenhouse emitting countries.
III. Although about 70% of the Earth is covered by water, and there's more beneath the surface, only about 5% of earth’s water is fresh, liquid and found above ground.
IV. Globally birth rates are fluctuating, people are living longer and the total population is increasing.
Which of the above statements are TRUE?

• A. I & II
• B. II & III
• C. III & IV
• D. I & IV

Hint:

Watch for scope words like “most prevalent” (by concentration) versus “strongest anthropogenic driver,” and beware of suspicious percentages for Earth’s water budgeting.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

(I) True. Water vapour is indeed the most abundant greenhouse gas in the atmosphere; CO2 is the dominant anthropogenic forcing agent, but not the most prevalent by concentration.
(II) False. After China and the USA, the next largest emitters (by national totals) are typically the EU (as a bloc), India, Russia, and Japan for the relevant period; Brazil is not among the very highest emitters in this sense. Hence the statement as written is incorrect.
(III) False. Roughly 2.5–3% of all Earth’s water is fresh; of that, only a tiny fraction (\(\sim 1.2%\) of freshwater, i.e., \(\ll 1%\) of total water) is surface liquid (lakes/rivers). The “5% above ground” claim is far too high.
(IV) True. Global life expectancy has risen; despite falling fertility in many regions, world population has continued to grow (birth rates fluctuate by country).
Therefore, only (I) and (IV) are correct \(⇒\) \(\boxed{\text{Option D}}\).