Direction for the following 8 (eight) items: Read the following eight passages and answer the items (1-8) that follow the passages. Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only.

What climate change will undeniably do is cause or amplify events that hasten the reduction of resources. Competition over these diminishing resources would ensue in the form of political or even violent conflict. Resource-based conflicts have rarely been overt and are thus difficult to isolate. Instead, they take on veneers that appear more politically palatable. Conflicts over resources like water are often cloaked in the guise of identity or ideology.

What does the above passage imply?

The correct answer is: Environmental issues contribute to resource stresses and political conflict.

Step-by-step Explanation:

1. Analyze the passage:
- "What climate change will undeniably do is cause or amplify events that hasten the reduction of resources." → This establishes that environmental issues (climate change) lead to resource stresses (diminishing resources).
- "Competition over these diminishing resources would ensue in the form of political or even violent conflict." → This directly links resource stresses to political conflict.
- "Resource-based conflicts have rarely been overt... Conflicts over resources like water are often cloaked in the guise of identity or ideology." → This explains how political conflicts often mask underlying resource scarcity.

2. Evaluate the Options:
- Option 1: "Resource-based conflicts are always politically motivated." - Incorrect. The passage states they take on political veneers, not that they are purely or always motivated solely by politics.
- Option 2: "There are no political solutions to resolve environmental and resource-based conflicts." - Incorrect. The passage does not state that political solutions do not exist.
- Option 3: "Environmental issues contribute to resource stresses and political conflict." - Correct. This directly summarizes the main implication of the passage: climate change reduces resources, which leads to political conflict.
- Option 4: "Political conflict based on identity or ideology cannot be resolved." - Incorrect. The passage does not comment on whether political conflicts can or cannot be resolved.