Earth Hour 2016

WWF’s Earth Hour will roll across the globe on Saturday, 19 March 2016 at 8:30 p.m. local time (PH time ) uniting individuals, communities and organizations in an unprecedented 178 countries and territories. Earth Hour is a global moment of solidarity for climate action and comes only months after governments agreed a new global climate deal.

As the lights dim in homes, offices and landmarks, the world’s largest grassroots movement for the environment will once again bring together millions of people to shine a light on climate action and the role people can play in global efforts to change climate change.

Earth Hour video

“The world is at a climate crossroads,” said Siddarth Das, Executive Director, Earth Hour Global. “While we are experiencing the impacts of climate change more than ever, we are also witnessing a new momentum in climate action transcending borders and generations. From living rooms to classrooms and conference rooms, people are demanding climate action. This tenth edition of Earth Hour is our time to ensure people are empowered to be a part of climate solutions.”

This Saturday, as more than 350 of the world’s most iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building, Taipei 101 and the Sydney Opera House prepare to switch off their lights, individuals around the world will switch on their power to make climate change history. From lending their voice to the planet through Earth Hour’s ongoing ‘Donate Your Social Power’ campaign, to signing petitions for climate policy and making individual pledges for sustainable living, millions will celebrate their potential to help build a better future for the planet and future generations.

Earth Hour: https://www.earthhour.org/

Advertisement

Earth Hour 2010

Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, when 2.2 million homes and businesses turned their lights off for an hour to make their stand against climate change.
In 2008, it had become a global sustainability movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries participating. In March 2009, hundreds of millions of people took part in the third Earth Hour. Over 4,000 cities in 88 countries officially s switched off to pledge their support for the planet, making Earth Hour 2009 the world’s largest global climate change initiative.
DOE Secretary Angelo Reyes, Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan of WWF-Philippines, Ambassador Francis Chua of Green Army Philippines network foundation and Catherine Maceda of SWITCH Group will spearhead this year’s Earth Hour in the Philippines.
In their letter to the Cebu Federation of Beat Journalists, they said “plans are under way once again as we join the global community in launching Earth Hour 2010.”
The letter said that for Earth Hour 2010, cities and towns all over the world will switch off their lights for on hour at 8:30 p.m. on March 27 sending an even stronger message to take action against global warming

On the 27^th of March 2010 at 8:30 PM, cities and towns across the world will turn off their lights for  one hour – Earth Hour – sending a powerful global message that it’s time to take action on global warming.

For the past two years Earth Hour has brought together about one billion people around the globe, in more than 1000 cities from businesses, governments, and communities sending a message to world leaders in the lead-up to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Copenhagen. We needed to commit to reducing green house gas emissions to prevent catastrophic climate change impacts especially on the most vulnerable communities and to ensure the survival of our planet.

The United Nations Copenhagen Climate Change Conference 2009 was a historical gathering that brought together world leaders, to tackle the most challenging crisis of our time. We needed a deal, we needed commitments, and we needed the political will to be able to initiate action against climate change. However the outcome of Copenhagen was unable to fulfill the objectives of keeping global warming below the widely agreed 2 degrees C high risk level.

This year Earth Hour is even more important and significant. This year, Earth Hour 2010 will empower individuals to commit to the challenge of finding the courage to solve the climate change crisis. It will continue to send a strong message to our world leaders for change by calling upon individuals, communities, and governments to turn out their lights for an extra hour.

In what we hope will be the world’s largest mass participation event, Earth Hour 2010 will be the culmination of over one billion people around the globe, in more than 6000 cities, towns and municipalities from business, government and the community turning off lights for one hour on one night. Earth Hour 2010 aims to send a message to world leaders that we, the citizens of the planet, demand commitment to actions that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions for the benefit of the planet. 2010 is the ultimate year for humanity to address the problem.

Last March 2009, the Philippines ranked first amongst all nations who participated in Earth Hour 2009. From Luzon, Visayas to Mindanao, 647 local government units and communities switched off their lights, and iconic buildings and landmarks went dark. This year WWF is aiming for the support of at least 15 million Filipinos nationwide. In the midst of the darkness, the Philippines will shine again.

Earth Hour is a message of hope and action. Imagine what we can do if we act together.

Article: from WWF Philippines and Earth Hour