Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements regarding ‘Earth Hour’:
It is an initiative of UNEP and UNESCO.
It is a movement in which the participants switch off the lights for 1 hour on a certain day every year.
It is a movement to raise the awareness about the climate change and the need to save the planet.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
1 and 3 only
2 only
2 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
Earth Hour is a global environmental movement organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
It is not an initiative of UNEP or UNESCO. Therefore, Statement 1 is not correct.
Earth Hour began in Sydney, Australia, in 2007 as a symbolic ‘lights off’ event.
It is generally observed every year on the last Saturday of March from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time.
Under it, individuals, communities, institutions and establishments switch off non-essential lights for one hour. Therefore, Statement 2 is correct.
Its objective is to raise awareness about climate change, loss of nature and environmental sustainability. Therefore, Statement 3 is correct.
Saving electricity during that one hour is not its only or primary objective.
Switching off lights is a symbolic act expressing collective commitment to protecting the Earth.
WWF is an independent international nature-conservation organization, whereas UNEP is the environmental programme of the United Nations.
UNESCO is the specialized agency of the United Nations concerned with education, science and culture.