Earth Hour

It's lights out for climate change

The world will be plunged into darkness this Saturday, March 27, as a record 118 countries are set to take part in Earth Hour.

The event, organised by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), promises to be the greatest climate change event ever with all seven continents signed up.

New Zealand's Chatham Islands will begin a worldwide 'rainbow effect' by becoming the first territory to start Earth Hour with the South Pacific Island of Samoa closing the sweep across the globe 24 hours later.

The UK will switch off its lights at 8.30pm with historic landmarks and big businesses throughout the country all going dark.

In London, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, St Paul’s Cathedral, Royal Albert Hall, Piccadilly Circus, BT Tower, Natural History Museum, and the London Eye are leading the way along with M&S, Coca Cola, IKEA and the City’s iconic Gherkin building.

Throughout the rest of the UK, Edinburgh Castle, Stormont, Wales Millennium Stadium, Belfast City Hall and Big Wheel, Old Trafford, Merseyside Maritime Museum, Durham Cathedral, and HMS Victory are also switching off the lights, along with over 700 community groups, 1,500 schools and 27 Universities.

Worldwide, the world’s great man-made marvels and natural wonders will plunge into darkness including the Eiffel Tower, Brandenburg Gate, Hiroshima Peace Memorial, Empire State Building, Table Mountain, Christ the Redeemer statue, Sydney Opera House and the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa.

Colin Butfield, Head of Campaigns at WWF-UK says: “World leaders missed a key opportunity to agree on a plan to tackle climate change last year. Now millions are uniting for WWF’s Earth Hour and telling our leaders to finish the job. Climate change is affecting people and wildlife all over the world. We can’t ignore it any longer – and we need politicians to take big, bold decisions, right now.”

To find out how you can take part visit www.wwf.org.uk/earthhour