Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) Degree Practice Exam

By promoting the use of clean cookstoves in developing nations, a global alliance aims to reduce which pollutant?

1. Carbon Dioxide

2. Black Carbon

3. Sulfur Dioxide

4. Nitrogen Oxides

The correct answer is: Black Carbon

The promotion of clean cookstoves in developing nations primarily targets the reduction of black carbon, which is a component of particulate matter. Black carbon is produced during the incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels, such as wood, coal, and biomass, which are commonly used in traditional cooking methods. These traditional stoves are often inefficient and release significant amounts of smoke and pollutants, including black carbon, into the atmosphere. By encouraging the adoption of clean cookstoves, the initiative aims to improve fuel combustion efficiency, resulting in much lower emissions of black carbon. This is significant not only for improving air quality and reducing health risks associated with indoor air pollution but also for combating climate change, as black carbon is a potent climate forcer that has a warming effect on the atmosphere. Moreover, reducing black carbon can help in achieving immediate improvements in public health and environmental quality in the affected areas. Other pollutants like carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides are also related to combustion processes but are not the primary focus of this specific initiative aimed at clean cookstove adoption.