How this paper is set and answered
From the notes printed under FPSC's own Revised Scheme tables.
- Ratio of MCQs in compulsory papers for CE-2016 will be 20 MCQs in each paper except in the paper of Essay. Similarly there will be 20 MCQs from each optional paper except Pure Mathematics and Applied Mathematics.
Complete Environmental Sciences Syllabus
The full official FPSC syllabus, reproduced section by section from the source document.
1History of Environmental Thought
1 point
- Environment and Sustainable Development, History of Environmental Movements, Industrial and Agriculture Revolution, United Nations Conference on Human Environment 1972, Our Common Future 1987, Rio Summit 1992, Agenda 21, World Summit on Sustainable Development 2002, Rio Summit-II, 2012, Millennium Development Goals.
2Sustainable Development Issues
2 points
- Population growth, Poverty, Biodiversity loss and its Conservation, Energy security (energy conservation and alternative energy resources), Urbanization and sustainable cities, Carrying capacity and ecological footprint. Food security and sustainable agriculture.
- Ecological restoration.
3Interdisciplinary nature of Environmental Science
1 point
- Orientation on convergence of various social and natural sciences to evolve a new discipline of environmental science: Environmental Biology, Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Physics, Environmental Microbiology, Environmental Toxicology, Environmental Economics, Environmental Geology, Environmental Geography, Environmental Biotechnology, Environmental Sociology.
4Environmental Pollution
1 point
- Air Pollution, Water Pollution, Soil Pollution, Noise Pollution, Solid Waste, Water Logging & Salinity, Deforestation, Desertification, Eutrophication, Global and regional air pollution problems (Greenhouse effect, Global Warming/Climate Change, Ozone Depletion, Acid Rain).
5Climate Change
2 points
- Climate Pattern at local, regional and global scale. Different types of climate including tropical and mid latitude climate, polar climates. Climate change processes, Drivers and Indicators of Climate Change, Effects of Climate Change on natural and societal systems.
- Carbon foot print. Climate change adaptation and mitigation, Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), REDD+. Global environmental politics on climate change: role of India, China and USA (Copenhagen Accord 2009).
6Environmental Governance
2 points
- Policy, legal and institutional frameworks for governance of environment in Pakistan:
- National Conservation Strategy of 1992, National Environmental Policy Act of Pakistan 2005, Environmental Protection Act of 1997, Pak-EPA (Review of IEE/EIA) Regulations 2000, Hospital Waste Management Rules 2005, Pollution Charge Rules, Sample Rules, Solid Waste Management Plan 2005, Hazardous Substances Rules 2005, National Drinking Water Policy 2009, Sanitation Policy, National Climate Change Policy 2012.
7Global initiatives
1 point
- Brief on some of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements ratified by Pakistan, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Cartagena Protocol on Bio-safety, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention), Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Kyoto Protocol to UNFCCC, Montreal Protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
8Environmental Assessment and Management
1 point
- Environmental Impact Assessment, Strategic Environmental Assessment, Environmental Management Systems (ISO 14000), Occupational Health & Safety management systems (OHSAS 18000), Participatory Approaches to Environmental Management, Technological Approaches to Environmental Management, Approaches to Solid Waste Management, Disaster Risk Management, Pollution Control Technologies, Geographic Information System & Remote Sensing, Natural Resources Management.
How to Prepare Environmental Sciences
Environmental Sciences is a 100-mark paper that assesses a candidate's understanding of environmental issues, their causes, impacts, and management strategies. It requires an interdisciplinary approach, integrating concepts from natural and social sciences, as well as policy and governance. A strong script demonstrates a clear grasp of both theoretical frameworks and practical applications, particularly concerning Pakistan's context and global initiatives.
Environmental Sciences is arguably the most culturally relevant and highly scoring 100-mark subject right now, overlapping significantly with Current Affairs and Essay.
1. Core Environmental Issues: Focus heavily on Climate Change, Ozone Depletion, Acid Rain, and specific pollution types (Smog in Punjab, marine pollution in Karachi).
2. Global Conventions and Protocols: Commit to memory the outcomes of the Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement, and the latest COP climate summits. Cite these extensively.
3. EIA and Sustainable Development: Understand the framework of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and frame all solutions around the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Paper by paper
Approach Paper I by ensuring a balanced understanding across all syllabus sections. Prioritise linking theoretical concepts like pollution and climate change to practical solutions, policy frameworks, and global agreements. Focus on Pakistan's environmental governance and its role in multilateral environmental agreements to provide specific, relevant answers.
A six-month plan
- 1Phase 1: Foundational ConceptsWeeks 1-6
Begin with 'History of Environmental Thought' to understand the evolution of environmentalism. Simultaneously, delve into the 'Interdisciplinary nature of Environmental Science' to grasp how various fields converge. Cover 'Sustainable Development Issues' focusing on population, poverty, and biodiversity loss.
- 2Phase 2: Core Environmental ChallengesWeeks 7-12
Dedicate this phase to 'Environmental Pollution', covering air, water, soil, noise pollution, and waste management, alongside global problems like the Greenhouse effect and Ozone Depletion. Follow this by a thorough study of 'Climate Change', including its drivers, effects, and adaptation/mitigation strategies.
- 3Phase 3: Governance and ManagementWeeks 13-18
Focus on 'Environmental Governance', studying Pakistan's policy, legal, and institutional frameworks such as the National Environmental Policy Act of 2005 and the Environmental Protection Act of 1997. Concurrently, cover 'Global initiatives' by understanding key Multilateral Environmental Agreements ratified by Pakistan. Conclude with 'Environmental Assessment and Management', including EIA, SEA, and Disaster Risk Management.
- 4Phase 4: Integration and PracticeWeeks 19-24
This phase is for comprehensive revision and practice. Integrate knowledge from different sections to form holistic answers. Practice essay writing on inter-sectional topics, focusing on structure, content, and evidence. Regularly attempt objective questions and evaluate written responses against the CSS rubric.
Using CSSPrep.AI for Environmental Sciences
Only the tools that genuinely support this subject are listed.
Use the Essay Writer to structure comprehensive answers for analytical questions. Input a specific topic and let it help build a thesis, outline, and argument paragraphs, ensuring all aspects of the question are addressed.
Try: Discuss the drivers and effects of Climate Change on natural and societal systems, including adaptation and mitigation strategies.
Utilise Topic Explorer to break down syllabus topics into structured maps. This helps in understanding timelines, cause and effect relationships, key actors, and current relevance, especially for historical events or complex processes.
Try: United Nations Conference on Human Environment 1972
Engage with MPT Trainer for diagnostic and adaptive MCQ practice. This helps in solidifying factual knowledge, identifying weak areas, and preparing for the objective component of the paper, covering all syllabus sections.
Submit your written answers to the Evaluator to receive scores on structure, content, evidence, and language. Use the feedback to refine your answer writing technique and ensure your responses meet the CSS rubric standards for Environmental Sciences.
High-yield topics
Each one is traced back to the section of the official syllabus it comes from.
Climate Change is a recurring and highly relevant topic, demanding a detailed understanding of its causes, impacts on various systems, and the global and local responses. It often features in both subjective and objective questions.
Syllabus section: Climate Change
Pollution in its various forms (air, water, soil, noise, solid waste) and its global manifestations (Greenhouse effect, Ozone Depletion, Acid Rain) are fundamental to environmental sciences and frequently tested.
Syllabus section: Environmental Pollution
These issues are core to understanding the challenges of sustainable development and are often linked to policy and management questions. Their interconnections are crucial for comprehensive answers.
Syllabus section: Sustainable Development Issues
Understanding Pakistan's specific environmental laws, policies, and institutions (like EPA 1997, National Climate Change Policy 2012) is vital for providing context-specific and well-informed answers.
Syllabus section: Environmental Governance
Knowledge of key international conventions like CBD, UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol, and Montreal Protocol, along with Pakistan's role, is essential for questions on global environmental politics and initiatives.
Syllabus section: Global initiatives
These assessment and management tools are critical for sustainable development and project planning, making them important for questions related to practical environmental management.
Syllabus section: Environmental Assessment and Management
Common mistakes in Environmental Sciences answers
- Providing generic environmental facts without linking them to Pakistan's specific context or policy frameworks.
- Failing to differentiate between various types of pollution or their specific impacts and control technologies.
- Not adequately addressing the interdisciplinary nature of environmental science, leading to one-dimensional answers.
- Lack of detail on specific Multilateral Environmental Agreements ratified by Pakistan or national environmental legislation.
- Confusing terms like 'climate change adaptation' with 'mitigation' or 'EIA' with 'SEA'.
- Presenting theoretical concepts without practical examples or case studies, where applicable.
FPSC recommended books
The 17 books FPSC lists for Environmental Sciences in the official syllabus.
| Title | Author |
|---|---|
| 1. Environmental Economics in Theory and Practice. | Hanley, N. Shorgen,J,White,B |
| 2. Industrial Safety Health and Environmental Management | Jain R.K. Rao S.S |
| 3. Environmental Science: Earth as a living Planet, 9th ed. | Botkin, D. Keller, E. 2014 |
| 4. Environmental Geology Facing the Challenges of Our Changing Earth | Erickson, J |
| 5. Environmental Geology. | Keller A.Edward |
| 6. Earth Science. | Tarbuck. J. Edward Lutgens K. Friederick |
| 7. Environmental Science: A Study of Interrelationship | Enger ED, Smith, B.F |
| 8. Basics of Forestry and Applied Sciences, Concepts and Theory | Masood A.A Qureshi |
| 9. Environmental Science: Working with Earth | Miller. T.G |
| 10. Disaster Management: A Disaster Manager’s Handbook | Carter N.W |
| 11. Disasters and Development | Cuny, F.C. |
| 12. Disaster Management: Warning Response and Community Relocation | Perry R.W. Mushkatel, A.H. |
| 13. Energy: Crisis or Opportunity, An Introduction to Energy Studies | Diana Schumacher |
| 14. Environmental Geology | Carla W. Montgomery |
| 15. Environmental Health; Ecological Perspective | Kathryn Hilgenkamp |
| 16. Official Website of Govt. of Pakistan | www.environment. gov.pk |
| 17. Official Website of UN Environment Programme. | www.unep.org |
Frequently asked questions
Is Environmental Sciences a scoring subject?
Environmental Sciences is a 100-mark paper within Group V. Its scoring potential depends on a candidate's ability to present well-structured, evidence-based answers grounded in the official syllabus. A strong grasp of both theoretical concepts and policy frameworks is key.
Do I need a science background to opt for this subject?
While the subject has a scientific foundation, the syllabus covers interdisciplinary aspects including social sciences, economics, and governance. A strong science background is helpful but not strictly necessary, as the focus is on understanding environmental issues and their management.
How important are the recommended books?
The FPSC recommends a list of books to provide comprehensive coverage of the syllabus topics. While not mandatory, consulting these resources can offer depth and diverse perspectives on areas like environmental economics, geology, and disaster management.
Should I focus more on global environmental issues or Pakistan-specific policies?
The syllabus explicitly covers both global initiatives and Pakistan's environmental governance frameworks. A balanced approach is crucial, demonstrating understanding of international agreements alongside the national policy, legal, and institutional frameworks.
How can I ensure my answers are specific to Environmental Sciences?
To make answers specific, candidates should integrate terminology, concepts, and policy details directly from the syllabus. For instance, when discussing climate change, refer to specific drivers, indicators, adaptation/mitigation strategies, and global politics like the Copenhagen Accord.
What is the weightage of different sections in the paper?
The syllabus does not specify individual weightage for each section. Candidates should prepare all sections thoroughly, as questions can be drawn from any part of the syllabus, requiring a comprehensive understanding across the board.
Syllabus text reproduced from Revised Syllabi for CSS Competitive Examination, CE-2016 (updated 7 July 2015), pages 70-72. Marks and grouping are from the same document's Revised Scheme tables. Verify against the official PDF before relying on it.