Q. Consider the following statements :
Statement I: Circular economy reduces the emissions of greenhouse gases.
Statement II: Circular economy reduces the use of raw materials as inputs.
Statement III : Circular economy reduces wastage in the production process.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
(a) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I
(b) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct but only one of them explains Statement I
(c) Only one of the Statements II and III is correct and that explains Statement I
(d) Neither Statement II nor Statement III is correct
Correct Answer: (a) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I.
UPSC Prelims 2025 GS Paper's Solution
Explanation :
Circular Economy (CE):
A circular economy is an economic system designed to be restorative and regenerative by intention. Its core principles are:
- Design out waste and pollution.
- Keep products and materials in use at their highest utility and value.
- Regenerate natural systems rather than simply extracting resources.
From this definition we derive two fundamental outcomes:
• A significant reduction in the input of virgin raw materials, since products and materials are reused, remanufactured, or recycled (Principle 2).
• A drastic minimization of waste and by-products in production processes through improved design, closed-loop material flows, and resource-efficient manufacturing (Principles 1 & 2).
Examination of the statements:
Statement II: “Circular economy reduces the use of raw materials as inputs.”
– Directly follows from Principle 2: Keeping materials in use replaces the need for virgin resource extraction.
– Therefore, Statement II is correct.
Statement III: “Circular economy reduces wastage in the production process.”
– Follows from Principles 1 and 2: Designing out waste and implementing closed-loop systems curtails production losses and by-products.
– Therefore, Statement III is correct.
Statement I: “Circular economy reduces the emissions of greenhouse gases.”
– By avoiding energy-intensive extraction, refining, manufacturing, and disposal of virgin materials and waste, a circular economy lowers CO₂ and other GHG emissions across the life cycle.
Do Statements II and III explain Statement I?
• Reduced virgin‐material inputs (II) avoid the large energy consumption and associated emissions of mining and processing.
• Reduced production waste (III) eliminates waste-incineration or landfill methane emissions and improves energy efficiency per unit of output.
Hence both II and III are not only correct but also jointly explain how a circular economy achieves the GHG-emission reductions asserted in Statement I.
Conclusion: Option (a) is the correct choice.
