Earth Hour

• 30 Mar 2022

Why in News?

Every year on 26^th March, people around the planet take an hour off electricity by switching off their lights at homes and offices as a show of support for conservation of energy during the World Earth Hour.

• It has to be noted here that the Earth Hour is different from Earth Day (22^nd April).

What is the World Wildlife Fund for Nature?

• About:
  
  • It is the world’s leading conservation organisation and works in more than 100 countries.
• Established:
  
  • It was established in 1961 and is headquartered at Gland, Switzerland
• Mission:
  
  • To conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth.
• Other Initiatives of WWF:
  
  • TX2 Goal
  • TRAFFIC
  • Living Planet Report

What is an Earth Hour?

• About:
  
  • Earth Hour is the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF)’s annual initiative that began in 2007.
  • It is held every year on the last Saturday of March.
  • It encourages people from more than 180 countries to switch off the lights from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm as per their local time.
  • The idea is to refrain from the use of non-essential lighting to save energy in a symbolic call for environmental protection.
• 2022 Theme:
  
  • Shape Our Future

What are the Objectives and Significance?

• Earth Hour aims to increase awareness and spark global conversations on protecting nature, tackling the climate crisis, and working together to shape a brighter future for humans.
• It calls for the world to unite in a moment of solidarity for people and the planet.
• The practice has become a catalyst for dramatic change and collective action towards protecting the environment.
• The symbolic lights-out Earth Hour has become the world's largest grassroots movement to raise awareness about climate change and energy conservation and to assure a sustainable, brighter future.

What are the Major Indian Initiatives for Energy Conservation?

• Perform Achieve and Trade Scheme (PAT): It is a market based mechanism to enhance the cost effectiveness in improving the Energy Efficiency in Energy Intensive industries through certification of energy saving which can be traded.
• Standards and Labeling: The scheme was launched in 2006 and is currently invoked for equipment/appliances.
• Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC): It was developed for new commercial buildings in 2007.
• Demand Side Management: It is the selection, planning, and implementation of measures intended to have an influence on the demand or customer-side of the electric metre.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Q. Consider the following statements regarding ‘Earth Hour’: (2014)

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 the awareness about the climate change and the need to save the planet.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (c)

Source: HT