Many establishments across the globe are turning all lit signage and non-essential lighting for one hour today to observe Earth Hour. Every year, at 8:30 pm on the last Saturday of March, supporters in over 190 countries and territories unite, taking action on and raising awareness of the issues facing our one home.
From the Sydney Opera House where Earth Hour began in 2007, through the Gateway of India, Beijing Phoenix Center in China, Brandenburg Gate in Germany, the Colosseum in Italy, Empire State Building in the USA and the Christ the Redeemer in Brazil, a host of global landmarks will take part in the symbolic switch off moment today.
Alongside the global activations, each year influential ambassadors and changemakers rally to support the movement. Earth Hour 2022 supporters include: Indian actress and playback singer Shruti Haasan, etc. India will commemorate their 75th year of independence and recognise the efforts of ‘75 Heroes of Conservation’, sharing the inspirational stories of how these individuals have helped ‘Shape Our Future’.
In a statement, Marco Lambertini, Director General, WWF International, said, “Earth Hour 2022 calls for the world to unite in a moment of solidarity for people and planet. We know that alongside the many challenges we face, especially in these unprecedented times, 2022 remains to be a critical year for the Planet, our shared home. This year the world will come together to agree on a Paris-style agreement for nature, and this presents a once in a decade opportunity for leaders to agree on a plan to reverse nature loss by 2030 and build a nature-positive future.”
Earth Hour has also gone far beyond the symbolic action of switching off – it has become a catalyst for positive environmental impact, driving major legislative changes by harnessing the power of the people and collective action. Nature not only provides us food, water, clean air, and other services worth over US$125 trillion a year – it is also one of our strongest allies against the climate crisis.
