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Q27 (IAS/2022) Environment & Ecology › Climate Change & Global Initiatives › Multilateral environmental agreements Official Key

Which one of the following statements best describes the 'Polar Code' ?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: A
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 1.

The International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code) is a mandatory international framework developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). It entered into force on January 1, 2017, to address the unique hazards faced by vessels in the harsh conditions of the Arctic and Antarctic environments.

Why Option 1 is correct:

  • It covers the full range of shipping-related matters, including design, construction, equipment, operational training, and environmental protection.
  • It ensures safety for seafarers and passengers while mitigating the risk of pollution in sensitive polar ecosystems.

Why other options are incorrect:

  • Option 2: Territorial demarcations are governed by the UNCLOS, not the Polar Code.
  • Option 3: Research norms are generally managed under the Antarctic Treaty System or national guidelines.
  • Option 4: The Arctic Council is a high-level intergovernmental forum; the Polar Code is a specialized technical instrument of the IMO.
How others answered
Each bar shows the % of students who chose that option. Green bar = correct answer, blue outline = your choice.
Community Performance
Out of everyone who attempted this question.
52%
got it right
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest preview
Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. Which one of the following statements best describes the 'Polar Code' ? [A] It is the international code of safety for ships operating i…
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 10/10
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This is a classic 'Global Commons Governance' question. It bridges Environment (melting ice) and International Relations (maritime law). If a region (Arctic) opens up due to climate change, UPSC asks about the *rules* governing that new frontier.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Is the Polar Code the international code of safety for ships operating in polar waters?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"The International code of safety for ships operating in polar waters (Polar Code) covers the full range of design, construction, equipment, operational, training, search and rescue and environmental protection matters relevant to ships operating in the inhospitable waters surrounding the two poles."
Why this source?
  • Explicitly names the Polar Code as the International code of safety for ships operating in polar waters.
  • States the Code covers the full range of design, construction, equipment, operational, training, search and rescue and environmental protection matters relevant to ships operating in polar waters (i.e., safety scope).
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"IMO has adopted the International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code) and related amendments to make it mandatory under both the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL)."
Why this source?
  • States IMO adopted the International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code).
  • Notes the Code was made mandatory under SOLAS and MARPOL and entered into force on 1st January 2017, confirming its international legal status.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"adopted the new International Code of Safety for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (the Polar Code) by in May 2015."
Why this source?
  • Refers to adoption of the new International Code of Safety for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (the Polar Code) in May 2015.
  • Describes the Code as imposing stricter regulations for Arctic shipping (design, crew training, environmental protections), supporting that it is a safety-focused international code.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 8: Natural Hazards and Disaster Management > arctic hurricanes > p. 57
Strength: 5/5
“more than a couple of days. Tey are part of larger class of meso-scale weather systems. Tey can be difcult to detect using conventional weather reports and are hazard to high-latitude operations, such as shipping and gas and oil platforms. Arctic hurricanes have been referred to by many other terms, such as polar meso-scale vortex, polar lows, Arctic lows, and cold air depression.”
Why relevant

Explicitly states that certain meso-scale polar weather systems are hazards to high-latitude operations, such as shipping, implying a need for special maritime safety measures in polar regions.

How to extend

A student could infer that because shipping faces unique polar hazards, international bodies might create a targeted safety code (like the Polar Code) and then check maritime regulatory sources for such a code.

FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 11: World Climate and Climate Change > Polar Climates (E) > p. 94
Strength: 4/5
“Polar climates exist poleward beyond 70° latitude. Polar climates consist of two types: (i) Tundra (ET); (ii) Ice Cap (EF).”
Why relevant

Defines 'polar climates' as existing poleward beyond 70° latitude, providing a geographic criterion for what 'polar waters' might encompass.

How to extend

A student could use this latitude threshold with a world map to delineate waters likely covered by a 'Polar Code' and compare that to any formal code's area of application.

Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 25: The Arctic or Polar Climate > Climate > p. 234
Strength: 4/5
“can be very hazardous for the polar inhabitants. In coastal districts, where warmer water meets cold land, air fogs may develop. They last for days, and in many instances, it is not possible to see for more than a few metres. Precipitation. Precipitation is mainly in the form of snow, falling in winter and being drifted about during blizzards. Snowfall varies with locality; it may fall either as ice crystals or large, amalgamated snow flakes. As it takes 250-300 mm (10-12 inches) of snow to make 25 mm (1 inch) of rain, precipitation in polar regions can be expected to be light, not more than 300 mm (12 inches) in a year.”
Why relevant

Describes polar coastal hazards (e.g., persistent fog, low visibility, snow/drift) that specifically affect maritime operations near polar shores.

How to extend

A student could reason that these specific hazards justify tailored ship-safety requirements and then look for an international instrument addressing such hazards.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 8: Natural Hazards and Disaster Management > Origin > p. 77
Strength: 3/5
“As in the case of other cyclones, the rotation of polar vortex is caused by the Coriolis efect. Te polar vortex in the Northern Hemisphere has two centres: (i) one near the Bafn Island (Canada), and (ii) the other over north-east Siberia to the north of Baikal Lake (Fig. 8.30-31). In the Southern Hemisphere, it tends to be located near the edge of the Ross Ice -Shelf near 160o W longitude. Te ozone depletion occurs within the polar vortex, particularly over the Southern Polar region, which reaches a maximum during the spring season (August and September). Te polar vortex or polar cyclone are climatological features that hover near the poles year round.”
Why relevant

Identifies locations and persistence of the polar vortex and notes climatological features of the polar regions, useful for understanding which sea areas experience extreme polar conditions.

How to extend

Using the described vortex centres and seasonal patterns with a map, a student could identify affected sea routes and check whether an international safety code references those regions.

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