The ‘Global – 500’ Award is given for rare achievement in which of the following fields?

The correct answer is B. The Global 500 Roll of Honour is the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) highest recognition for environmental achievement. It was instituted in 1987 and honours individuals, organisations and governments that have made outstanding contributions to protecting and conserving the environment. The core idea is that the award follows UNEP's mandate, so its field is environment, not any other social or scientific area.

• A (Gene preservation): Genetic resource conservation falls under biodiversity instruments such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (1992), not this award.
• C (Population control): This is a demographic policy area handled by national programmes and bodies like UNFPA, not by UNEP's environmental honour.
• D (Pollution control): Pollution control is a component of environmental protection, but the award's official wording is environmental achievement broadly, so B is the more accurate and complete answer.

Mains connection: GS-III on environment and sustainable development, and India's role in multilateral environmental regimes.

Note: the award's format and status have been revised after 2019, so check current UNEP information if the question returns in a different form.

Trap: Aspirants pick D because pollution is the most visible environmental issue. Match the question's exact wording, 'environment conservation', to the official award.