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Q79 (IAS/2014) Environment & Ecology › Climate Change & Global Initiatives › Climate governance initiatives Official Key

Consider the following statements regarding 'Earth Hour' : 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?

Result
Your answer: —  Âˇ  Correct: C
Explanation

**Explanation:**

Statement 1 is **incorrect**. While UNEP and UNESCO work with young people on environmental issues, Earth Hour is not their initiative. The documents do not support the claim that Earth Hour is organized by UNEP and UNESCO.

Statement 2 is **correct**. Earth Hour is held annually by encouraging individuals, communities, and businesses to turn off non-essential electric lights for one hour, on a specific day towards the end [1]of March, typically on the last Saturday of March from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.[2]

Statement 3 is **correct**. The movement aims to raise awareness about environmental issues, specifically highlighting the vulnerability of our planet, and the need to tackle climate change and protect nature[3].

Therefore, only statements 2 and 3 are correct, making option C the right answer.

Sources
  1. [1] https://abhipedia.abhimanu.com/Article/IAS/NzE3MDgEEQQVV/Consider-the-following-statements-regarding-39-Earth-Hour-39-1-It-is-an-initiative-of-UNEP-and-UNESC-Environment-and-Ecology
  2. [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Hour
  3. [3] https://www.wwf.org.uk/earth-hour/switching-off-earth-hour-can-help
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PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
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Q. Consider the following statements regarding 'Earth Hour' : 1. It is an initiative of UNEP and UNESCO. 2. It is a movement in which the p…
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 ¡ 6.7/10
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This is a classic 'Agency Swap' trap. UPSC tests if you can distinguish between official UN mandates (UNEP/UNESCO) and major civil society campaigns (WWF). The question is fair because Earth Hour is a headline event, but it penalizes those who assume every 'Earth' title belongs to the UN.

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 Earth Hour an initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and UNESCO?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 28: International Organisation and Conventions > 28.1. UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME (UNEP) > p. 387
Strength: 5/5
“The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.”
Why relevant

Defines UNEP as the leading global environmental authority that initiates and promotes global environmental agendas and programmes.

How to extend

A student could use this rule to ask whether Earth Hour fits UNEP's typical activities (global awareness/agenda-setting) and then check Earth Hour's organizer credits against UNEP's listed initiatives.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 24: Climate Change Organizations > UN-BEDD Programme > p. 347
Strength: 4/5
“• Administered by UNDP• Area of focus Mitigation REDD• Date operational zooS Three UN Agencies - United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) - have collaborated in the estabiishment of the UN-REDD programme, a multi-donor trust {und that allows donors to pool resources and provide funding with the-aim of significantly reducing global emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries. Through its nine initial country programme activities in Africa, Asia and Latin America, the UN-REDD Programme supports the capacity of national governments to prepare and implement national REDD strategies with the involvement of all stakeholders.”
Why relevant

Shows UNEP commonly collaborates with other UN agencies (e.g., UNDP, FAO) to create joint programmes.

How to extend

A student might consider whether Earth Hour is likely to be a joint-agency initiative and therefore look for multi-agency sponsorship/partnership statements for Earth Hour.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 24: Climate Change Organizations > i:r Efil{r=t#$.fificfl$ s!:J > p. 340
Strength: 4/5
“UNEP/WMO proposal for the sening up of the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (OPCC). i1 • It was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1988 to provide the governments of the world with a clear scientific view of what is happening to the world's climate. • The Secretariat coordinates all the IPCC work and liaises with Governments. The secretariat is supported by WMO and UNEP and hosted at WMO headquarters in Geneva. • It is open to all member countries of the United Nations (UN) and WMO.”
Why relevant

Gives an example where UNEP co‑established a major international body (IPCC) with another organization (WMO), illustrating UNEP's role in founding global environmental initiatives with partners.

How to extend

Use this pattern to ask whether Earth Hour was founded by UNEP alone or jointly, and then verify founding/organizing partners for Earth Hour.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 29: Environment Issues and Health Effects > 5. Biosphere > p. 433
Strength: 4/5
“Biosphere sites established by countries and recognized under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme to promote sustainable development based on local community efforts and sound science. The programme of Biosphere Reserve was initiated by UNESCO in No: 1.; Name: Achanakamar Amarkantak; Iocation (State): Covers parts of Anupur and Diadori districts of M.P., and parts of Bilaspur districts of Chhattishgarh State. No: a; Name: Agasthyamalai; Iocation (State): Neyyar, Peppara and Shendurney wildlife Sanctuaries and their adjoining areas in Kerala, No: 3.; Name: Cold Desert; Iocation (State): Pin Valley National Park and surroundings; Chandratal and Sarchu & Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh No: ; Name: Gulf of Mannar; location (State): Indian part of Gulf of Mannar Mannar between India and Sri Lanka (Tamil Nadu).”
Why relevant

Describes UNESCO running environmental programmes (Man and the Biosphere) and recognizing sites, showing UNESCO also initiates and manages environmental initiatives.

How to extend

Apply this pattern to question whether UNESCO would be a plausible initiator of a global public-awareness event like Earth Hour and then check UNESCO's programme lists or announcements for Earth Hour.

Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 6: Environment and Natural Resources > Environmental Concerns in Global Politics > p. 83
Strength: 3/5
“International agencies, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), began holding international conferences and promoting detailed studies to get a more coordinated and effective response to environmental problems. Since then, the environment has emerged as a significant issue of global politics. The growing focus on environmental issues within the arena of global politics was firmly consolidated at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 1992. This was also called the Earth Summit. The summit was Collect news clippings on reports linking environment and politics in your own locality.”
Why relevant

Explains that international agencies (including UNEP) convene conferences and promote coordinated global responses (e.g., Earth Summit), indicating such agencies lead large public/awareness environmental actions.

How to extend

From this, a student could infer that Earth Hour might be within the remit of such agencies and therefore look for official conference/initiative records to confirm the organizers.

Statement analysis

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