Daily Current Affairs — 18 September 2026
Daily Current Affairs · 18 September 2026
10 fully-analysed topics · 30 bilingual MCQs · 3 embedded videos · built for UPSC Prelims & Mains
🎯 30 MCQs
🎬 3 Videos
🇮🇳 Hindi + English
Indian History MCQ Quiz · भारतीय इतिहास प्रश्नोत्तरी
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Environment
Pygmy Hog
The Assam government recently highlighted the success of the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme, which has increased the pygmy hog population in the State significantly over the last three decades.
- About: The pygmy hog (Porcula salvinia) is the world's smallest wild suid and the only surviving species of the genus Porcula
- Distribution: Historically, it was found from Uttar Pradesh to Assam, including Nepal's Terai and Bengal's Duars
- Physical Features: It is the smallest member of the pig family (Suidae)
- Habitat: The pygmy hog inhabits undisturbed tall grasslands of riverine ecosystems, comprising dense grasses, herbs, shrubs and young trees
Environment
Montreal Protocol and World Ozone Day
On the occasion of the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer (World Ozone Day, observed on 16th September), global attention was drawn to the historic journey of the Montreal Protocol.
- Background: In the 1970s and 1980s, scientists confirmed
- Vienna Convention (1985): Prompted by this scientific discovery
- Regulatory Metric: Under the Protocol, "Consumption" is formally defined as Production + Imports – Exports – Verified Destruction.
- Success: Often celebrated as the world's most successful environmental treaty, it has facilitated the phase-out of 99% of ODS globally
Show 6 more facts
- While HFCs do not harm the ozone layer, they are exceptionally potent Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) that heavily exacerbate climate change.
- To address this, the Parties to the Montreal Protocol adopted the Kigali Amendment at their 28th Meeting of the Parties (MOP 28) in Kigali, Rwanda
- Background: In 1994, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) officially proclaimed 16th September as the International Day
- Theme: "Global action for a cooler planet – Celebrating 10 years of sustainable cooling under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol".
- Net Zero Portal: Enables industries, organisations and government bodies to voluntarily register and report progress towards net-zero emissions.
- NAPCC Dashboard: Provides a centralised gateway to track progress and insights across India's National Missions on Climate Change.
2. What is the significance of the Vienna Convention? The Vienna Convention (1985) established the framework for international cooperation
With reference to Montreal Protocol and World Ozone Day, consider the following statements:
- Background: In the 1970s and 1980s, scientists confirmed
- Vienna Convention (1982): Prompted by this scientific discovery
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Correct. Check each statement on its own before looking at the options. One of the two alters a figure, an institution or the direction of change stated in the source.
Not quite. Check each statement on its own before looking at the options. One of the two alters a figure, an institution or the direction of change stated in the source. The green option is the correct one.
Environment
29th World Ozone Day
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) recently marked the 29th World Ozone Day, an annual event dedicated to raising.
- About Ozone and Related Convention: The ozone layer
- However, man-made Ozone Depleting Substances have caused ozone depletion in the stratosphere.
- World Ozone Day is observed on the 16th of September each year
- India, a signatory since June 1992, has made significant strides in implementing the Montreal Protocol: Phase-out Success: India successfully phased
Show 6 more facts
- Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) Phase-out: HCFCs are currently being phased out
- Achieving Reduction Targets: India exceeded its target, achieving a 44% reduction in HCFCs by 1st January, 2020, compared to the baseline's 35%.
- The India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP): Launched in March 2019
- Tropospheric (or ground-level) ozone or bad ozone is a short-lived climate pollutant that remains in the atmosphere for only hours to weeks
- The Gothenburg Protocol was established in 1999 to address pollutants that cause acidification and ground-level ozone
- It was updated in 2012 to include particulate matter (PM) and black carbon (as a component of PM) and to include new commitments for 2020.
Which of the following statements about 29th World Ozone Day is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Environment
Recovery of Ozone Layer
According to a new U.N. report, earth's protective ozone layer is slowly but noticeably healing at a pace that would fully mend the hole over Antarctica in about 43 years.
- While this is an achievement, the scientists warned of the detrimental effects of geoengineering technologies such as stratospheric aerosol injection
- For the first time, the Scientific Assessment Panel examined the potential effects on ozone of the intentional addition of aerosols into the
- Ozone is a special form of oxygen with the chemical formula O3. The oxygen we breathe and that is so vital to life on earth is O2.
- About 90% of ozone occurs naturally in the Earth's upper atmosphere (Stratosphere) between 10 and 40 km above Earth's surface
Show 6 more facts
- This "good" ozone is gradually being destroyed by man-made chemicals referred to as ODS
- One chlorine atom can destroy over 100,000 ozone molecules before it is removed from the stratosphere.
- Ozone can be destroyed more quickly than it is naturally created.
- Vienna Convention: The 1985 Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer provided a framework
- Adopted in 1987, the Montreal Protocol is a worldwide agreement to stop the production of substances causing ozone-depletion.
- The Bretton Woods Conference, officially known as the United Nations Monetary
Which of the following statements about Recovery of Ozone Layer is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Environment
Refrigerants
A recent court case in San Diego, US, highlighted the smuggling of banned refrigerants from Mexico into the US, shedding light on the environmental repercussions of such illicit activities.
- The refrigerants in question are hydrofluorocarbons and a form of hydrochlorofluorocarbons, known as HCFC 22.
- About: A refrigerant is a chemical substance used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems
- They typically have low boiling points, allowing them to evaporate and cool the surrounding environment at relatively low temperatures.
- This shift came after research in 1985 confirmed that CFCs were causing abnormally low ozone concentrations above Antarctica
Show 6 more facts
- Refrigerants, including HFCs and HCFCs, are released into the atmosphere primarily when appliances reach the end of their life
- The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (Vienna Convention) was agreed in 1985
- However, they were later recognised as potent greenhouse gasses.
- In 2016, over 150 countries agreed to the Kigali Amendment under the Montreal Protocol aiming to reduce HFC consumption by 80-85% by the late 2040s
- India will complete its phase down of production
- The Vienna Convention and its Montreal Protocol are the first and only global environmental treaties to achieve universal ratification
Which of the following statements about Refrigerants is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Indian History NCERT MCQ | Lecture 2: 6th
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Environment
Early Closure of the Antarctic Ozone Hole
The Antarctic ozone hole closed unusually early in 2025, offering one of the strongest signs yet that the ozone layer is on a steady path to long-term recovery.
- About: The Antarctic ozone hole refers to the seasonal thinning of the stratospheric ozone layer over Antarctica during the austral spring
- This phenomenon was first detected in the early 1980s
- These clouds host chemical reactions that activate chlorine and bromine, mainly released from CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons).
- About 80% of stratospheric chlorine and bromine over Antarctica comes from anthropogenic sources.
Show 6 more facts
- The early 2025 closure signals recovery driven by the Montreal Protocol (which phased out CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances)
- Boosts confidence that the ozone layer may return to pre-1980 levels globally around 2040, the Arctic by 2045, and the Antarctic by 2066
- About: Ozone (O₃) is a reactive gas made of three oxygen atoms; it can be natural or man-made
- HFCs, though ozone-safe, are potent greenhouse gases and are being phased down under the Kigali Amendment (2016).
- Phasing out Ozone-Depleting Substances also helps climate mitigation, preventing an estimated 0.5C to 1C of warming by 2050.
- The Antarctic ozone hole closed unusually early in 2025, indicating strong ongoing recovery of the ozone layer.
Which of the following statements about Early Closure of the Antarctic Ozone Hole is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Environment
Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC)-141 b
India has successfully phased out Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC)-141 b.
- The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) notified
- This step is among the first at this scale in Article 5 (special status of developing countries) parties under the Montreal Protocol.
- HCFC-141 b is one of the most powerful ozone-depleting chemicals after Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
- It is mainly used as a blowing agent in the foam manufacturing industries
Which of the following statements about Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC)-141 b is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Environment
Greenhouse Gas Concentrations Hit Record Highs: UN
Recently, the United Nations issued a warning highlighting the unprecedented surge in greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, setting new records in 2022.
- UN's World Meteorological Organization (WMO)'s 19th Annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin outlines the concerning implications
- Unprecedented Greenhouse Gas Levels: WMO in its 19th annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin stated
- Methane ranks as the second-largest contributor to climate change, causing about 16% of warming
- The climate system could be nearing critical "tipping points," where certain changes lead to irreversible cascades
Show 6 more facts
- Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are a group of naturally occurring and human-generated gases present in the Earth's atmosphere
- Fossil Fuel Combustion: The predominant contributor to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is the burning of fossil fuels for energy
- Deforestation has transformed sections of the Amazon rainforest, previously a carbon sink, into a significant emitter of carbon.
- This creates a feedback loop, where more methane released exacerbates global warming, further accelerating permafrost thaw.
- Induced Climate Change: Increased greenhouse gases intensify the greenhouse effect, trapping more heat in the atmosphere
- Water scarcity or excessive rainfall can impact water availability for drinking, agriculture, and industry.
Which of the following statements about Greenhouse Gas Concentrations Hit Record Highs: UN is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Polity
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Recently, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has announced that the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2020 will be accorded to legendary actress Ms Asha Parekh.
- Previous recipients of the awards were Rajnikant (2019) and Amitabh Bachhan (2018).
- About: The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is part of the National Film Awards, a highly coveted collection of honours in the film industry
- The award is considered the highest honour in the Indian film fraternity
- The award was instituted by the government in 1969
Show 4 more facts
- The award is presented by the President of India in the presence of the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting
- The first recipient of the award was Devika Rani Roerich in 1969.
- He was born in 1870 at Trimbak in Maharashtra
- In 1913, Phalke wrote, produced, and directed India's first feature film, the silent Raja Harishchandra
Which of the following statements about Dadasaheb Phalke Award is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Polity
Padma Awards 2026
On the eve of the 77th Republic Day 2026, the President approved the 2026 Padma awards list of 131 recipients, comprising 5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri awards.
- The major awardees include actor Dharmendra Singh Deol and former Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan
- About: The Padma Awards, alongside the Bharat Ratna, are the nation's premier awards
- Historical Evolution: The Padma Awards were instituted in 1954
- Similarly, in Indira Jaising v. Supreme Court of India, 2017, the SC ruled
Show 6 more facts
- Since 2014, the government has been recognizing "unsung heroes" with the Padma Awards, transforming them into the "People's Padma".
- Based on the committee recommendations, it is announced annually on the eve of Republic Day
- A higher category Padma award is only granted after at least five years since the previous Padma award.
- The award is not a title and cannot be used as a prefix or suffix.
- Capped at a maximum of 120 awards per year (excluding posthumous, NRI, foreigner, and OCI recipients).
- 1978–79: By the Morarji Desai-led Janata Party government, which deemed them "worthless and politicized."
Which of the following statements about Padma Awards 2026 is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Indian Geography MCQ Quiz · भारतीय भूगोल प्रश्नोत्तरी
A second members-only subject quiz – lock in today's study session
Current affairs alone will not clear Prelims. Close the day on the static syllabus with this members-only quiz.
