Earth Hour is a global initiative that has recently been in news. It’s an event designed to inspire people, communities, and businesses around the world to switch off non-essential electrical lights for one hour. This initiative takes place on the last Saturday of March each year, serving as a symbolic gesture of commitment to planet Earth.
The World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) launched Earth Hour as an annual event in 2007. The objective is to encourage individuals across more than 180 countries to turn off their lights from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm, according to their local time zone. The primary intent behind this initiative is to abstain from the use of non-essential lighting, thereby conserving energy. This symbolic call for environmental protection also represents our collective efforts to tackle climate change.
This year’s theme for Earth Hour is “Invest in Our Planet,” aiming to foster increased global awareness and discussions around protecting nature, dealing with the climate crisis, and collectively shaping a brighter future for humanity. Through these actions, Earth Hour has grown into the world’s largest grassroots movement dedicated to raising awareness about climate change, promoting energy conservation, and ensuring a brighter future.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
The World Wildlife Fund is at the forefront of global conservation efforts. As the leading conservation organization worldwide, it currently operates in more than 100 countries. The organization, established in 1961 and headquartered in Gland, Switzerland, has the mission to conserve nature and mitigate major threats to life diversity on our planet.
The WWF is known for its diverse range of initiatives, which include the TX2 Goal, a commitment to doubling the world’s wild tiger population by 2022, and TRAFFIC, a joint program run by the WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Additionally, the organization routinely publishes its Living Planet Report, which offers valuable insights into the state of the world’s biodiversity.
Quiz on Earth Hour
A previous year’s question from the UPSC Civil Services Examination regarding ‘Earth Hour’ asked:
Consider the following statements:
1. It is an initiative of UNEP and UNESCO.
2. It is a movement in which the participants switch off the lights for one hour on a certain day every year.
3. It is a movement to raise awareness about climate change and the need to save the planet.
The correct options were: (c) 2 and 3 only.
Earth Hour represents a powerful symbol of our commitment to preserving and protecting our planet. By taking part in this simple yet impactful initiative, we contribute to raising awareness about the very real and urgent issue of climate change, and take a step closer towards creating a brighter future for us all.